De Profundis
by Myrrhion
Summary: Even if you just get swept with it, as long as you don't let it drag you in the depths, you can use it. (Fully formatted version found on my deviantart page)
1. Even

i wake up.  
my back hurts, probably on the couch.  
thoughts still slow, roll off stomach and onto floor, floor softer than couch, nobody home.  
i breathe in deeply and my mind settles into its paths.  
i turn on the television, as i suspected it is ten in the morning, septembre fifteenth, again.  
whoever is taking a turn now is currently in the ruins on a soft bed of flowers.  
with a sigh i grab papyrus's phone.  
he is currently at the electric maze, checking it for holes, he is very thorough.  
i reach into his pocket and grab it, i mean, when was the last time that distance has been an issue?  
okay, checking the phone book  
FLUFFYBOY, LORD  
 **01-0004**  
GHOSTYBLOOBLOO  
 **04-0132**  
HAPPSTABLOOK 3  
 **02-0123**  
UNDYNE-SENSEI  
 **04-1008**  
UNSUSPICIOUS ENTRY  
 **01-0002**

* * *

different entries, definitely new time-line.  
happy, huh?  
well, i'm not kink-shaming.  
after all, six hours is long if you get to relive them over and over.  
i really regret not getting my own mobile before the human fell.  
kinda seemed pointless back then.  
now i have to resort to borrowing papyrus' at the start of each reset.  
i should have a minute until he calls me, so i should at least be able to check the scrapbook.  
i shortcut in my lab, just as the others the scrapbook is there, pictures of my old friends, adventures and entries.  
so glad i actually went through with-  
* bahp-deep-bahp-deep-bahp- **click**  
* status?  
* So, dodged and didn't even bother with listening.  
* Well, I'll follow them and look how Momster test goes.  
* good job, i'll read up.  
* Okay, see you.  
they seem to be experienced, bad news for us.  
they just could be paranoid, though.  
it usually takes five minutes from there till the first frog.  
i start reading, first my personal history.  
the lab back before, meeting alphys, research into timelines, paps being born...  
seems i worked a bit closer with alphys than usual, even with that still well within projection.  
* bahp-deep-bahp-deep-bahp- **click**  
* They killed the frog.  
* I-i don't- do you really think they'll-  
* dunno, for that i have you.  
* we don't wanna hurt an innocent, right?  
* Yeah, you're right...  
* Call you later, I'll follow them.  
so much for a happy ending.  
at least that means i don't have to play along anymore.  
i turn the tv on, ten o' six, even.  
training it is.

* * *

right now undyne should be at home, so i should be able to train at the bridge.  
i shortcut there, finding it as empty as usual.  
i go into my trainings stance and start my usual routines, new openers, varied angles, faster switches, energy conversation and when i have an insight i work on my magnum opus, the body retention magic.  
i can only keep my memories after a reset after all, while my mind goes back my body stays the same old researcher i've been before.  
no need to out-muscle when you can outsmart, right?  
well, that was before it all started with my memory going back.  
while that thing slaughtered through my timeline.  
at first i thought it was a deja vu, jumps from about a minute, i was too occupied with what happened to think.  
but when it came to me and tried fighting, after a few times i noticed that it weren't any tricks on my memories, it dodged my attacks like it had seen them before.  
then i realised, that it was because it actually had.  
i started working the expectations into my tactics, instead of getting angry it grinned even more, that sick thing enjoyed being trounced.  
it would always restart as soon as it died,  
but one time it just mumbled to itself and stayed dead, without reset, without even leaving a soul.  
still wary of what exactly was going on i made my way to asgore, shortcutting to in front of the throne room, didn't want to startle him.  
i heard a scream an a scared voice came from inside  
* See! I can help you!  
* I can- you're not Chara.  
i saw the flower that papyrus always talked about, apparently it really wasn't an echo flower.  
i talked with him and calmed him down. i told him that i also could remember the resets.  
that confused him, apparently i didn't before the human fell.  
after talking for what seems hours, we had an idea.

i won't get into details but it worked, we were back at fall morning, different universe.  
we already knew how good timelines went, so as long as frisk stays pacifist, we play along.  
but when we get one of those things instead...  
i still don't know what exactly causes that but each falling human seems completely different and even within the same cluster their behaviour is erratic.  
one tried pleading with migosps while other monsters were still around but killed them since they didn't know how to spare them.  
they cried whenever they thought nobody was watching.  
another dusted toriel and just when i thought, screw it, they reset and spared her. it was curious, they were patient but rather clumsy. the fight against mettaton was... unique.  
they died many times against him, but the time when they actually managed to spare them... i could swear they had the same eyes as that thing back then...  
and then there was the one who just walked up and down the first room where you can meet monsters and killed them, one after the other.  
they then proceeded on, but when it got to the first puzzle it just gave up and... 'quit'

* * *

i was through my fifth variation drill when flowey called again.  
* bahp-deep-bahp- **click**  
* We've got a genocider.  
* damn... okay, i'll meet you at our usual place, how long?  
* Five minutes if th- it takes no detours. See you.  
i hang up.  
i didn't want this to come, but well, what can you do?  
i shortcut to the first flowerbed, flowey is already waiting in there.  
i sit down besides him, he leans on me.  
* Howdy, it seems we-  
* **i**  
* ...you will have to kill it.  
* You don't have to do it alone, you know.  
* i know, but i can carry that burden azzy, you shouldn't lose your innocence... again.  
* i promised to protect everyone and that includes you.  
* you know what to do if things go south.  
* Golly, how could I, it isn't like we drill that every tenth reset!  
* I just... if things go south... how would I...  
* knock knock  
* Who's there?  
* weed.  
* Weed who?  
* we don't need that kind of attitude.  
* relax it has been two or three hundred resets since the last time.  
* now, i think it is showtime.

i shortcut to the last crossroad.  
it comes around and is caught flat-footed.  
it gives me a quizzical look.  
* you know, i thought it was obvious but very few actually get that idea.  
i stand between it and the way to toriel.  
* i promised to protect any human that went through that door.  
i initiate combat.  
* you're not through that door yet.

* * *

Some commentary to he story, as with all commentary, it is better to read the main event before this, but I can't stop you:

I chose ten in the morning as a starting point since most true pacifist non speed-runs last at the very least six hours, generally more along seven and a half, the nap in Toriel's home (which most people take) has to last at least 30 minutes to cool the pie down and the way from the barrier to the top is of unknown length. On September fifteenth 2015 the sun set at 19:05 and in the true pacifist run you reach the surface shortly before it is set, so I added the known times and came away with about 8 hours, that means ~35 minutes left until the sun is about to set like that. Yes, I put this much thought into what time it started.  
The telephone numbers do have a system: Area code of where the person lives, **01** is new home, **02** is the core/hotlands, **03** is snowdin, **04** is waterfall, and then random numbers with few exceptions (the Dreemurrs, including Chara, had 01-0001 to 01-0004.) I imagine Chara had 01-0001 and that Toriel gives Frisk Chara's old mobile, so if calling all number sequentially (as Papyrus said he did), means that it would be literally first number to actually pick up.  
The bahp-deep-bahp-deep is Papyrus' ringtone for Flowey and is supposed to be the beginning of "Your Best Friend".  
The story about the universes e has seen are all runs I've personally witnessed.  
The first (dead Migosp) run was the first run of my GF, she regretted killing them but had no idea how to spare them at the time.  
The second run was my bff's first attempt at playing it, he made a true pacifist (with killing Toriel by accident and undoing that) run on his first attempt, he was adorably clumsy at times.  
The last run was of a friend of mine who plays games just to stab everyone, they didn't even know there was a puzzle there, thought it was a dead end and kinda gave up then.


	2. Odd, Tails

i wake up.  
back hurts again.  
how in the void does my back hurt from lying on my stomach?  
quick time check, september fifteenth ten in the morning.  
i shortcut into my lab right next to the table.  
i knock something round on the floor.  
looks like it could be this sans' father's old wedding ring.  
i was always a sucker for keepsakes.  
i borrow papyrus' mobile again and beeline to the scrapbook.  
i glimpse over what i already read last time.  
it is older history anyway, should look up more recent events.  
after paps' birth we moved to waterfall.  
a few pictures of undyne, happstablook and papyrus hanging around.  
undyne seemed to be their leader, she's a few years older than paps.  
the next page is only two words.  
then comes a hole for about a year.  
next is a picture of paps and me in front of the house.  
a few pictures of us goofing around.  
papyrus trying to join the royal guard by waking undyne-  
* bahp-deep-bahp-deep-bahp-deep-ba- **click**  
before i can get back to reading i get a call.  
* yellow?  
* Are you... never mind.  
* It killed the first froggit again.  
* ah crap, this again.  
* expect geno this time too, seems i've got to pound it better in.  
staring at the next page but not reading anything of it, my mind wanders back to that thing.  
its determination seemed to dwindle fast, 8 retries before giving up, though my suspicions were confirmed.  
often the human seems to be aware of things they shouldn't know.  
they are aware of pitfalls, shortcuts, ways to spare each monster, special actions that make their lives easier.  
they treat this world like it is their own little toy box...  
and with each new universe, the probability of running into an experienced seems to increase.  
i'm still not sure what, but something is up with that.  
with a sigh i turn the television on, ten o' seven, odd.  
i get a coin from my pocket and throw it in the air.  
tails.  
relaxation it is.

* * *

i walk along the streets of snowdin, it has always this special charm on me.  
by now i know everyone, i've had plenty of time after all.  
whenever i had downtime after it started i got to know them better.  
in the non-end-state runs i could even do what would have lasting consequences, like bringing people together, helping people overcoming personal problems...  
ah the memories...  
i see nacarat hanging around next to scarfy, i love to get those together, they are good for each other. got to invite them to grillby's and get them talking, there are a few sequences of topics that leads them to start hanging out and sometimes even more if i set it up right.  
pauli stands as usual in front of grillby's, i could get him into a new political system, from there I usually have 2 choices: support him or let things run their way.  
supporting athenian democracy was fun, asgore loved the idea and for the 4 hours we had it, it was a blast; supporting aristocracy was rather dull honestly, asgore just declared those who already had a high position nobility.  
jeff is squatting under the tree, arranging gifts. dude loves traditions, can usually pick up subtle differences between universes when he goes into an all-out rant.  
tried establishing a few traditions with him.  
doesn't always work out, but it is fun to make things like that once in a while.  
bunbun is walking her brother.  
sweet girl and very innocent.  
it's always fun to introduce her to something new.  
i've shown her around most of the underground in my many stays.  
suspicion on two legs, robert, is standing around and eyeing her.  
getting those two together is always a blast to be honest.  
rob always acts all tough and 'you don't know what i've seen, man' like.  
he is still a young monster after all.  
her naivete throws him off balance.  
it's just too cute.  
i stand in front of the snowdin subway.  
it utilises the same spatial manipulation i use when taking a shortcut.  
makes sense, after all i built it back when paps and i settled here...  
at least in my world...  
i wrest my thoughts from that dark time and try to think about what to do...  
trying to ship people takes ages.  
i can manage to boil what would usually take weeks of building trust into hours.  
i spent a whole set of loops just learning to speed run some of them.  
i could sleep a bit, but to be honest, i'm not that tired right now.  
i can hear beautiful singing coming from the inn.  
this gives me an idea what to do.

* * *

i shortcut to the echo flower room next to gerson's shop.  
i sit down on the middle patch of land and relax.  
i whistle three notes and the flowers respond with a little song.  
when papyrus was little and cried i came here and whistled songs for him.  
i learned a few songs over the years, but papyrus started disliking those flowers when he grew up.  
the voices unsettled him.  
but he still loves the songs i whistled.  
he even hums one of them whenever he imagines all his future successes.  
if you're able to just whistle from one point there are a only hand full of songs they can play, that actually sound good.  
with a few other people you could get this to several dozen.  
but at some point the noise made by the people would drown out the actual song.  
i can bend space around me to a certain degree.  
so one tails timeline i taught myself advanced ventriloquism.  
i can actually, physically, throw my voice and other sounds i make.  
need to concentrate to do it properly.  
still saved me some trouble at times.  
aside from teeny-tiny papyrus i never had others who did this with me.  
mostly because they didn't like the echo flowers.  
maybe i can learn a new song or two now that i can throw my whistle.  
the first song i try is one i know that works with two people.  
i can manage it just right and the flowers sing to me.  
now i've got the time for making new song.  
my first creation is done after ten minutes.  
it isn't very long or particularly good, but it is a first step.

* * *

after trying for another twenty minutes i've almost got it down.  
but my symphony is broken by steps being echoed.  
undyne makes her way down the hall, waving me.  
she sits on the land next to me.  
* Morning Sans.  
* heya undyne. what brings you out here? * Morning Sans.  
* If you have to know, punk, I was doing morning stretches. Gotta stay limber. * heya undyne. what brings you out here?  
* But then I heard whistling coming from here. * If you have to know, punk, I was doing morning stretches. Gotta stay limber.  
* Since you're the only one who does that, I wanted to see what you were doing. * But then I heard whistling coming from here.  
* yeah, felt nostalgic about it so i came to visit. * Since you're the only one who does that, I wanted to see what you were doing.  
she laughs, her feet splash in the water. * yeah, felt nostalgic about it so i came to visit.  
* Yeah, nostalgic is right. * (ha-ha-ha) (splash-splash)  
* I remember when you and Papyrus would come here to whistle to the flowers. * Yeah, nostalgic is right.  
* Back before your father- * I remember when you and Papyrus would come here to whistle to the flowers.  
* Oh, sorry. * Back before your father-  
* no problem that is ancient history for me.  
i try to remember the scrap book of this version.  
* but yeah, at least papyrus is getting better about it. * no problem that is ancient history for me.  
* how're the cooking lessons going? * but yeah, at least papyrus is getting better about it.  
some of her energy drains from her.  
she looks away and seems more fidgety. * how're the cooking lessons going?  
* They're going... adequate.  
* I know you wanted it to go better but... * They're going... adequate.  
* I just haven't found the right words to tell him... * I know you wanted it to go better but...  
oh yeah, it has been long.  
i usually keep keep my contact with the big players in the story at a bare minimum.  
rocking the boat too hard usually messes the whole story up.  
that always irreparably derails the plot. * I just haven't found the right words to tell him...  
papyrus is too softhearted for a warrior's life.  
undyne didn't want to hurt him so she started giving him cooking classes.  
that was actually my idea.  
she asked asgore what to do.  
he only told her that she will make the right decision.  
that afternoon she was drunk in grillby's and poured her heart out to me.  
so i suggested she could teach him something else, giving cooking as an example.  
she was horrible at cooking but since she had no better idea she took it up.  
since then her house burned down weekly.  
magical fire isn't as destructive as normal fire.  
she just had to wait until it stopped burning about a day later and scrub the soot off.  
she always wanted to tell him that he should give up on being a royal guard.  
but she never has the nerve to go through with it.  
she doesn't want to hurt him.  
* i know this kinda sounds like asgore, but i believe you can do it.  
* the sooner you tell him, the better. * i know this kinda sounds like asgore, but i believe you can do it.  
* but don't rush it too much. * the sooner you tell him, the better.  
* trust your heart. * but don't rush it too much.  
she turned back to me.  
still fidgety but at least a bit more relaxed.  
she gave me a hug. * trust your heart.  
that was... unexpected.  
* Thank you Sans.  
her voice was unusually quiet.  
* you're welcome?  
* Not just for this but for everything. * you're welcome?  
* i have no idea what you're talking about.  
* i'm as lazy as you can get. * i have no idea what you're talking about.  
* Hehe, yeah. * i'm as lazy as you can get.  
she stood up and her voice regained her bold and loud sound.  
* I'm not paying you for lollygagging.  
* Now move your lazy butt back to your sentry post, Sans. * I'm not paying you for lollygagging.  
with that she walked away.  
* Now move your lazy butt back to your sentry post, Sans.  
oh, i understand.  
with a smile i continued whistling and got the song up to playability.  
* bahp-deep-ba- **click** * (whistling)  
*yo?  
* Emergency * bahp-deep-ba- **click** Doomship *yo?

* * *

i shortcut to the crossroad just in time.  
that thing killed the last monster as late as possible.  
luckily we have a codeword for that.  
the human runs through the corridor leading to me.  
it is shocked to see me waiting here.  
* oh, there you are.  
* i was getting bored so i took a stroll through home.  
* i hope i didn't miss anything.  
* anyway.  
* do you know any good single player games?  
* because you don't seem to have any friends.  
it let out a scream of pure rage.  
this won't take as long as last time.

* * *

As with the last, I put much thought in every detail.

Naming the NPCs was kind of a problem, since their names are never given and the in game descriptors for their sprites are just describing what they are. I name the characters after corruptions of their sprite names.

Echo flowers only echo things that are loud enough to be heard at that distance.

It was a pain to get the echoing of the flowers right, so don't think i made mistakes when something seems amiss.

The call from Flowey to Sans is one of several emergency phrases they agreed on.

Suckerpunch means "completed genocide conditions and will arrive at crossing within 10 seconds."

Doomship means "went to the crossing before completing genocide conditions and will arrive there again within 10 seconds."

Sailed followed by the current room of the player (rarely used) means "they passed our usual spot without me noticing but I spotted them at X" . Example "Emergency Sailed Bedroom"

If Flowey misses the Player and Toriel gets dusted, flowey says dust instead of the actual place of the player and sans waits in the flowey room.

And many things whose meaning will be revealed in the future.


	3. Odd, Heads

i wake up again.  
my face is full of couch, stupid universe.  
i don't stand up to grab papyrus' mobile.  
same entries, not really sure if also same universe.  
i need a quick nap, i leave those mattress for later.  
while i usually start my resets sleeping somewhere, i don't really get sleep out of them.  
have to wake up and check where i am before i get steamrolled.  
feeling the need for some rest i snooze a bit before flowey calls.  
* bahp-deep-bahp-deep-bahp- **click**  
* stat's?  
* dodged, but seems more responsive this time.  
* I think they actually listened.  
* g'd, same proc' as usual  
* gonna nap now on couch.  
* wake when geno.  
* see ya.  
i hang up and continue my nap. sleep is needed by the mind, not body.  
i still have to sleep in the resets.  
i can't really sleep my eight hours a day.  
each iteration lasts eight hours at most and i still need to play my part.  
i can sleep more when papyrus gets killed.  
but that rarely happened since i started killing the genociders before toriel.  
it seems that most walk down the path of extremes.  
either full LOVE or full love.

* * *

i lie on the couch eyes closed and think about my fate.  
being stuck with versions of my friends, stuck in the same eight ours.  
you would think that the resets would wear on you.  
but they don't, at least not that much.  
i've got friends in all worlds and they vary at least.  
no two universes are identical.  
and finding those subtleties is what makes me take free-time.  
most of the history is similar.  
we can reach the surface in any world.  
all i have to do is playing my part.  
as long as all goes according to the script it will work out.  
just, keep playing along.  
do it for all of them.  
or else i would only train to get out of this thing.  
yeah it's not wearing on me.  
but there seems to be more behind this.  
and finding out what takes the last third of my time.  
it can't be coincidence.  
but i need sleep.

* * *

The steel walls of the core gleam in the dim light of the computer terminals. Footsteps fall and a dumpy skeleton, not that young but small runs into the extraction room, out of breath and near collapse. Sans is standing in a deep part of the sanctum that is the extensive laboratory of W.D. Gaster. He tries catching his breath, even though he has no lungs, but he can hear the skitter of fine talons on steel, no time to stand still yet. He has lost most of his clothing in the chase and is down to his underwear and a single slipper. Knowing what is on the line, he makes a last dash through the door only to be greeted by a steep fall into a sea of flames. With his reflexes he barely holds on to the edge.  
* goddamn, this is bad.  
The layout of core has been changed, now he has to look for his goal all over again. Pulling himself up, he sees something moving in the twilight of the room he just jumped out of. He takes the scenery in and sees two possible ambush points, three if he considers the nimbleness and flexibility of his predator. But, since he is aware of the points and that is to be expected of him, he might be lured into a trap that he triggers by evading. With that in mind he plans his escape avoiding the secondary ambush points. But sadly, he failed to consider that this might be a trap too. A yellow flash emerges from behind the blaster prototype. His predator expected him to avoid the route below the tables because of the risk of them being trapped, leaving him open for an assault over ground. The yellow monster closing in from above pouncing onto him, the delicate talons pinning his arms to the ground, face covered by darkness, only centimetres away the mouth opens and

* * *

* bahp-deep-bahp-deep-bahp-deep-bahp-deep-bahp-deep- **click**  
* what?  
* are you alright?  
* yeah.  
* just had a strange dream  
* even stranger than usual.  
* anyway, where are we?  
* So, they went through the ruins, everyone's alive.  
* Get onto your station, I bought you as much time as I could.  
* thanks bro, i'll take over for now.  
* you deserve some free time.  
* see ya at the bitter end.  
i hang up.  
azzy can chill again, after all he just spent two hours meticulously stalking  
they now can't gain the power to end reality anymore.  
each time one reaches the end wielding that power they destroy everything in the timeline.  
i ran tests, it looks like after i die in a timeline something massive happens.  
the whole space-time continuum unravels back to its seams...  
unravelling...  
i know how dying feels, but how does ending feel?  
if i can fix this mess no one will ever know again.

* * *

with this cheery thought i shortcut to my sentry station.  
the next part is something i like to play with, but since they're playing by the book i do too.  
the usual routine.  
stalking in the wood.  
whoopee cushion in hand.  
the conveniently shaped lamp bit.  
through the electric maze.  
but then they went out of their way to kill a jerry.  
fricking jerry.  
why?  
just... why?  
i leave flowey a message that this timeline is shot.  
in any case, now i can have fun screwing with the human.  
i change the word search.  
GETTTTTTDUNKEDON  
KJCSDRIBSREWOLFO  
BMLUFITUAEBYADXV  
DSINGINGTBURNING  
DOHELLBLOOMINGUE  
EDISTUOUBDORTAHW

Words to find:  
What Flowers Spare  
Beautiful Blooming Burning  
Day Birds Heaven  
Outside Singing Friends  
as usual papyrus chews me out for doing that halfhearted puzzle.  
i grin to myself and let the human continue doing their thing.  
i played with what puzzles i leave there.  
but it doesn't change much.  
papyrus either says it is too easy, the standard response.  
or i actually make it hard as hell and we are stuck there.  
puzzles that can stop that thing are scarce and almost impossible to solve.  
in one early universe i did something just to see how it goes.  
i created a puzzle that was actually deadly and impossible to beat.  
i prepared everything, and it was a glorious mess.  
it was a very cathartic experience.  
best use of free time, ever, of all times.  
this human talks to me whenever they can.  
want to see if something is up with me, i guess.  
i give the same standard answers i always give.  
i can't even remember when i started giving them.  
the tile puzzle, rigged as usual.  
the cross puzzle, solved without a second of hesitation.  
and the comes the gauntlet.  
papyrus notices he doesn't have it in him to hurt the human.  
so he stakes out the misty path to capture the human.  
the human walks nervously by and gives me a last look.  
* you're off the hook for now kiddo.  
* enjoy the underground.  
then they finally enter snowdin.  
i shortcut back home and turn the television on.  
by now the news of a human falling down should have spread.  
yup, mtt-live displays technical difficulties.  
at least the clock works.  
eleven fifty-three, odd.  
i get out my trusty coin.  
i hope for tails, i could use the sleep.  
heads, research.  
damn working ethic.  
in the distance i hear the fight between papyrus and the human stopping.  
paps doesn't come running immediately.  
the human seems to hold a grudge.  
no sense in killing it now.  
i feed my pet rock some sprinkles and turn all the lights off.  
i won't come back here this loop.

* * *

i shortcut directly to hotland in front of alphys' lab.  
i give it a knock, she should be busy preparing mettaton's show.  
* Who's there?  
oh, this is too perfect.  
* doctor.  
* Doctor Who?  
* exactly.  
i hear a giggle from the inside as the door unlocks.  
as i step inside a big metal box steps in my way.  
* EXTERMINATE!  
* oh no, a dalek, if i let him escape he will destroy all of the humans.  
* No worries, i will have that fixed in a jiffy.  
alphys acts like she shot mettaton who promptly starts dying.  
* OH WOE IS ME, A POOR DEFENSELESS DALEK WHO ONLY CRAVED FOR THE SCREAMING OF HUMANS.  
* NEVER AGAIN SHALL I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF-  
* Can it tin can.  
alphys turns to me and gives me a warm smile.  
* H-hey Sans, lost your keycard?  
i have a keycard?  
* came here in a hurry.  
* what are you doing?  
* Errrrr...  
* A F-favour for Mettaton.  
she picks a box of the table and gives it to mettaton.  
* So, this sh-should be all.  
* I prepared the cameras everywhere and started printing the flyers.  
* B-by my calculations, th-they should arrive, earliest, in about t-two hours, so be back here by then.  
* YES, DARLING.  
metti turns to me, the box containing the bombs.  
seems like the cooking show and the musical are already done.  
* HELLO SANS, SORRY I HAVE NO TIME TO CHAT.  
* ALWAYS BUSY BEING A STAR.  
alphys walks over to the camera control station and seems to check something,  
* no prob, just make sure it's fabulous as always, boss.  
* OH YOU, WE'RE UNDER US HERE, NO NEED FOR FORMALITIES.  
* ANYWAY, SEE YOU LATER.  
with that the killer robot left the building.  
* hey alphys  
* i wanted to ask you for help on somethyawn.  
goddamit, i think i really need a nap before i can do anything else.  
* Are you alright Sans?  
* You look really tired.  
* yeah, couldn't sleep.  
* running on maybe four hours, tops.  
she gives me an enquiring look.  
* Problems with Papyrus?  
i can't look her in the eyes.  
she can barely keep her own life together.  
no need to burden her with mine.  
* yeah... you could say that.  
* Poor thing.  
she gives me a strange look, a mix between concerned and having a really bad, but fun, idea.  
i have had that look myself more times than i can count.  
* Tell you what, you said you want my help, so no sense in going home to nap.  
* How about you go upstairs and lie down in my bed for a while?  
bed, sleep, what a glorious concept.  
* don't mind me taking that offer.  
* that is veryawn sweet of you.  
* You're welcome, sweet dreams  
with that i make my way to her bed.  
instinctively i open it.  
it's usually folded up to a cube.  
but with a few button pushes it unfolds.  
it is big and soft and somehow smells like home.  
i take my shoes off and throw my hoodie on a nearby chair.  
keeping my shorts on, after all i'm a guest.  
in mere moments i drift into sweet dreams.

* * *

A skeleton, a lizard and a ghost sit a table, it is covered with paper-sheets, bowls of snacks and dice.  
* you arrive at the island-temple.  
* it is big and cavernous, a musty smell hangs in the air.  
* the walls are hewn from stone and look more ancient than time.  
* exits?  
* errr... several smaller openings and a big doorway leads to another room.  
* (dice rolling)  
* alphys, karin is hearing chanting from there, sans, winfried isn't.  
* Oh, interesting. I run towards the big opening.  
* "where are you going?"  
* "I think I hear chanting coming from the big doorway."  
* i run after her and make myself ready to engage.  
* okay...  
* you arrive at the same time.  
* some kind of altar is being prepared by two cultists while ten others are chanting.  
* (dice rolling)  
* nobody seems to have seen you yet.  
* i check for guards.  
* (dice rolling)  
* you can't see any.  
* okay, do i see more of that strange black liquid?  
* which one?  
* the one that sapped my strength.  
* (dice rolling)  
* no sans, you don't.  
* Okay. I inch my way closer to the whole bunch.  
* What language are they chanting in?  
* errr... you don't know the language.  
* Okay.  
* (dice rolling)  
* karin gets grappled from behind.  
* it is another cultist who is holding a sacrificial dagger to karin's throat.  
* "hey there champ, one wrong move and i'll-"  
* i disarm them, winding the knife out of their hand.  
* (dice rolling)  
* yes, a crit!  
* errrr... okay, you got their knife and broke even a few fingers with the force you wound it out of the cultists hand.  
* they are about to screaming from the pain which the other cultists will hear.  
* Oh g-great, this will be like the h-high school all over again.  
* maybe, though back then i had so much luck with my rolls.  
* i take the knife and slit open the throat of the cultist.  
* "nobody touches my girlfriend."  
* GIRLFRIEND?!  
* i take it that was in character...  
* Oh, y-yes.  
* oh...  
* wait, i don't think my manoeuvre works and he screams, let me roll-  
* i'll allow it because of the crit.  
* dammit.  
* the other cultists are running, but two guards with swords emerge.  
* okay, i wield the knife in a defensive stance and wait for an attack.  
* "yes, well, we've known each other for a year, and, well..."  
* the first guard reaches you and attacks.  
* (dice rolling)  
* i dodge  
* (dice rolling)  
*okay, that works.  
* "I thought you liked me too?"  
* then i use my first attack to slash their throat.  
* (dice rolling)  
* (dice rolling)  
* you hit, damage?  
* (dice rolling)  
* six with double damage modifier.  
* wow  
* (dice rolling)  
* he collapses in front of you, slowly bleeding out.  
* I t-take a-an a-all-out d-defence action.  
* "W-well, even if t-that's the c-case, you h-have to ask f-first."  
* the second guard tries to attack karin.  
* Oh, I-i d-dodge.  
* (dice rolling)  
* should be enough, he misses.  
* "in that case, would you like to be my girlfriend?"  
* i attack him, again cutting throat.  
* (dice rolling)  
* (dice rolling)  
* okay, my dice roll really bad tonight, crit fail on the dodge.  
* (dice rolling)  
* seven with double damage modifier.  
* (dice rolling)  
* yeah, he's unconscious on the floor too  
* okay, combat is over, so alphys?  
* (silence)  
* i think it's best if we wrap up here.  
* I-i a-agree b-blooky.  
* (silence)  
* hey, alphys?  
* Y-yes, s-sans?  
* you wanna grab a bite together?  
* I-i w-would l-love to.

* * *

i wake up and something soft and warm is pressing against me.  
i open my eyes to check what it is.  
alphys is in the bed.  
sleeping too.  
cuddling me.  
in underwear.  
suppress a scream.  
out of bed.  
woke her up.  
* Sans? Are you okay?  
* have to go.  
* Are you sure, this bed is pretty soft.  
* YES.  
i warp.  
my lab.  
breathe.  
after subjective ten years i can think clearly again.  
i redid my calculations.  
i looked through the scrapbook again.  
this me never wrote it down but it was apparent from the pictures.  
this is all wrong.  
need to find asriel.  
call him with papyrus' handy.  
* Yes?  
* we need to talk.  
* Now? I'm kinda busy.  
* Keep telling yourself that. Ahuhuhu~  
* Dammit, I could have gotten to second base.  
* no you couldn't.  
* No you couldn't Ahuhuhu~  
* Why are you so cruel?  
* because-  
* -it annoys you. Ahuhuhu~  
i sortcut to muffet's bakery and high-five her.  
* I hate you both.  
* i love you too, bro.  
muffet puts two hands on my shoulder.  
i swat them off.  
* sorry, but there is a family emergency.  
* we can flirt later, kay?  
* That will cost you~  
* sure, i'll treat you to some donuts.  
* know someone who makes a great batch.  
* The bargain is struck. Ahuhuhu~  
i grab the boss monster at his collar and shortcut back to the living room.  
i throw his fluffy butt on the couch  
* Ouch, seriously, what gives?  
* asriel, we have a problem.  
* i thought this wasn't possible.  
* but, we are not on the central tree anymore.  
* What?  
* this isn't our multiverse.

* * *

 **DEEPTALE**

 **Arc 1 - Alice is dead**

* * *

Welcome to **Deeptale** , down the deep end and back up.

As I said in sequence 1 of this arc, it takes usually 8 hours to the top but the actual on screen time is closer to 6.  
Sans' sleep need in this AU is 20 hours awake for each 8 hours sleep.  
The first dream sequence has a meaning, won't tell too much, but it is pretty obvious.  
Whoever guesses the deeper implications will get a special price.  
This sans has died in earlier loops. And yes, it hurts.  
Jerry... He is one of the toughest enemies in the whole game, taking at least 7 hits to kill with the best equipment at that point, but only giving 1 exp.  
I'm not fond of Jerry.  
The whole Doctor Who reference insert was just a bit of nerding around that I wanted in there.  
The whole Alphys sequence has lots of strange little oddities in there, most are intended  
The second dream sequence is meant to be a role-playing group with Blooky as GM, recorded with a microphone.  
They use the GURPS system.  
Don't know if that sequence works.

About the creation of this fic:

This whole fic and AU started when I saw so many bad attempts at creating a sans that remembers the resets.  
Foremost, I just asked myself "What would I do?"  
If I ever write the earlier loops (if I get at least 3 requests for them, I will write them), they will be very NSFW.  
The name of the AU stems from a time when this sans had gone down the "deep end", though in case of my interpretation of sans that just means "is quicker to strike".  
In connection to the looping, that means gone insane through the repetitions. But, well, in this case it is more gotten sick of the universe fucking with him.  
The name of the arc is based on the game of the same name


	4. Standing in the same Place

asriel is sitting on his fluffy butt.  
* Wait... what?  
* you remember how i explained you how the universe works?  
* Yes.  
* and how i told you that this is nexus point that every universe shares?  
* eight hundred thirty eight.  
* ...huh?  
* I actually counted them. Every gosh darn time I asked you if we could fix everything without playing along.  
* yeah, you know the problem, all-  
* All the monsters must be alive since we can only get fragments out of the human.  
* The human needs to befriend the big three, Papyrus, Undyne and Alphys.  
* We need the Monsters caring about the human, so that the fusion can be undone.  
* If anything upsets those events it will result in a reset or end the universe as a whole.  
asriel was reciting from memory what i have found out through trial and error over many loops before that one fateful genocide universe that just... stopped.  
the one where i finally met my asriel.  
floweys were big players in my other loops.  
but the slightest mistake on my part would doom the whole universe since they don't forget with a reset.  
i can remember every single time when i stood at the end but only toriel was there to scold asgore.  
she took the human home and the universe was over, i was thrown into the beginning of the next.  
it was easy to avoid flowey since he usually stalked the human.  
but having the role played by an ally was so much easier.  
gave me more freedom.  
he didn't have a soul in the beginning, which bothered him a lot.  
he was cooperating since it was something new?  
* So, what is the problem?  
* the sans i'm currently inhabiting and the alphys of this universe are dating.  
* Wait... WHAT?  
* my calculations said that all universes were similar to a degree to which the human won't see anything different.  
* but this... this is wrong...  
i sit down on the couch next to him.  
* this shouldn't be possible...  
* she has to get together with undyne or else she won't befriend the human.  
we just sit there for a moment until asriel speaks up and breaks the silence?  
* Maybe he wanted to break up?  
* pardon?  
* If your math says that there is only one nexus point, maybe he was about to break up, sending her into the arms of Undyne.  
i take his suggestion in.  
* that makes sense.  
* yeah, on the next run where the human doesn't go geno i'll break up with her.  
i rub my head.  
this whole business is giving me a dull tension headache.  
makes thinking a bit harder.  
but, well no need worry.  
* sorry for pulling you away from your conquest from this.  
* No prob, bob. I'm here for you.  
* yeah, i'll... sleep in papyrus' bed, nobody using it anyway.  
* Sleep well, I'll be at Grillby's, do you want anything from there?  
* nah, thanks.  
i shortcut directly into bed.  
still smells like burned pasta and oatmeal  
for the third time that day i drift into slumber.

* * *

It is afternoon in Waterfall, a recent couple walking to a secluded place amidst piles of trash, holding hands.  
* are you sure-  
* If you ask me again I will kick your butt into the abyss.  
* i mean-  
* Your butt, down the abyss.  
* but-  
* That thing, down there.  
Alphys slapped him on his bottom which caused Sans to yelp. When they reached a dead end their destination was before them, a small dry island covered in flowers. She couldn't help but giggle when she let go off his hand and jumped on the island.  
* Nobody ever comes here, it's perfect.  
The skeleton hesitates for a moment, not really sure what to do.  
* Your cute butt next to me or in the abyss, your choice.  
With a sigh Sans strolled over to the flower patch in the water, light softly touching down on Alphys who had decided to sprawl over the flowers in a way she probably thought looks sexy, but that made it only more endearing.  
* Whatcha thinking about?  
* that this island is representative for you.  
She looked at him in confusion, not as sprawling but her natural body language was very appealing. When she didn't hunch she stood actually quite tall and had long slender legs who now were crossed behind her as she lay flat on her stomach.  
* What do you mean?  
* in the garbage dump that is the underground, you are the tiny island of flowers, bathed in light radiating beauty for the whole world to see.  
She pushed sans on his back, pinning him down among the flowers, her face haloed by the light that streamed in from the surface.  
* I bet you say that to all the sexy lizard ladies that drag you to the garbage dump.  
* technically true.  
* Charmer.  
She pressed her lips against his, sharing a tender kiss, their first, surrounded by trash, only the never ending water rushing heard in the distance.

* * *

i try to remember my dream but just last like every time, it vanishes before i can grasp it.  
i wake up from papyrus' mobile going off a few hours later.  
apparently they reached home while i slept.  
azzy's supposed to call me when that happens, a duty he never fails at.  
* Bro, they're at dad's house, get ready.  
i shortcut to judgement hall, waiting in the shadow of a column for the perfect moment to appear.  
the human-thing walked down the hall, expecting me to appear in front of them.  
well, we're off-script in any case, so what the hell?  
i shortcut behind them.  
* heya  
they turn around, slashing the dagger at me.  
that's it, i had it with them.  
i rip them the worn dagger out of their tiny hands with a telekinetic shock into it.  
it arcs over them, behind them where i had shortcut in a moment.  
catching the dagger i grab the human from behind, holding the knife at their soft little throat.  
* now listen to me you LV 9, fratricide committing little harlot.  
* i had my patience with you.  
* i even let you live after what you did to paps.  
* i know this ain't your first rodeo.  
* let me skip the explaining and get to the point.  
i press the pointy but rounded tip of the knife against her aorta.  
* this had been nice me.  
* and i'm sick of your shit.  
* you better behave next time  
* or i will carve you up with this rusty, dull dagger.  
* it can't cut to save a life  
* but that will only make it far more painful.  
* and i will start with you pretty face.  
* before plunging down into your soul.  
* making you beg for oblivion that will never come.  
* now, scram.  
i shortcut away, letting the dagger stay behind, clattering to the floor.  
my destination is behind a pillar, out of sight from the human.  
but not out of earshot as they start crying.  
that was mostly an empty threat.  
they could probably tear through me if i tried any prolonged torture.  
plus, you don't threaten people you want to kill, you just off them.  
but i hope this gets through their head.  
i shortcut back to my place, waiting for the next reset, sleeping until it finally happens.

* * *

next reset comes around while i sleep.  
flowey calls me, ten fifteen.  
i straighten on the couch, papyrus handy in my hand  
apparently i grabbed it in my sleep.  
* Howdy, well, they spared me after the big battle, also they looked... shaken.  
* yeah, i gave them a bit of advice.  
* Well... I hope we get a nobody dies run.  
* me too, but... gotta go now, have to break up with a sweet girl.  
* Yeah... good luck with that.  
this is going to be hard.  
i shortcut into my lab, searching for the id card.  
it's in the spare hoodie.  
i steel myself and concentrate, landing in front of her laboratory door.  
it takes me nearly an hour to gather my courage to confront her.  
the id-lock beeps as i swipe the card through it.  
i walk over to her desk, putting it there.  
* alphys? you up?  
i hear steps coming from the upper floor.  
alphys appears in front of me, wearing a t-shirt two sizes to big for her.  
looks like it could fit me.  
* Heya Sans, what brings you to the nerd cave?  
she is chipper, more than i've ever seen her before.  
* i'm sorry.  
i brace myself, rising tension and a horrible headache aren't making this easier.  
* About what?  
* it's over between us.  
her smile falters.  
* W-what?  
* i'm leaving you.  
her face contorts into sheer terror.  
* W-why?  
* this can't work out.  
my head hurts almost blindingly, making it hard to focus on her.  
* B-but, I t-thought...  
tears start rolling down her face.  
* sorry, this isn't easy for me either.  
* t-t-then p-please d-don't.  
i turn around, can't bear to see her like that.  
but it will be over when the human gives her undyne's letter.  
* my card is on your desk.  
* i hope we can stay friends even after this.  
i stride quickly to the door, my head still hurting like hell.  
* n-n-no p-please w-wait...  
once on the other side of the door it shuts behind me.  
faint crying and a noise like something crashing on the floor comes out of the lab.  
i shortcut back to my own lab, my head hurting a lot less.  
sitting in front of the drawing desk i use a simple spell to draw my work so far on paper.  
trying to work on the body retention spell, water drops fall on it, causing smears.  
i follow their path back up.  
without noticing i'd started crying.

* * *

i try to distract me with work, but my mind always wanders back to alphys.  
i'm really sorry about what happened but it has to be this way.  
when noon came around flowey called me again, the human went pacifist.  
i shortcut to my sentry station, putting paps' mobile back in his pocket.  
the door opens in the distance with a loud creaking.  
when i walk up behind them, they tremble.  
they face me with a wonky turn, holding their shuddering hand towards me, eyes closed.  
i grab their hand, whoopee cushion in hand.  
i fall back into my routine, keeping an eye on them.  
this time they avoid me like hell, carefully not even hurting a single monster.  
we proceed, puzzle after puzzle.  
nothing out of the ordinary, same old routine.  
so i'm quite surprised when i shortcut to the tile puzzle only to be greeted by a fist.  
i sidestep it, having a look at my assailant.  
* mettaton?  
* YOU ASS!  
usually he would sit over there, act like a computer and rig the puzzle.  
* what is going on?  
* YOU FUCKER!  
he tries to land another punch which i evade just as easily.  
* calm down.  
* I WILL RIP YOU ARMS OFF!  
okay this is...  
time seemingly slows to a crawl, need to think fast.  
i notice i'm confused.  
that means there is something i didn't expect.  
obviously that is mettaton attacking me.  
but, why?  
will be quickest if i get him to talk.  
he will talk when i take away his freedom of movement.  
currently mettaton is about half a ton of angry ghost infused robot on a wheel.  
not easy to subdue, but shouldn't be hard.  
we're in snowdin forest, surrounded by snow and ice.  
currently he is winding up another punch.  
top heavy, slippery ground... got it.  
i dive under his punch and time a swipe at his wheel coinciding with the apex of his swing.  
with my telekinesis i stop his gyroscope, making him fall flat on his... front side.  
quick follow-up, the ghost in the machine turns blue, roughly doubling his weight.  
too heavy to lift the body with his arms he is stuck to the ground  
immobile and subdued in two seconds.  
* SANS! LET ME UP SO I CAN PUNCH YOU!  
* only if you tell me why.  
he throws a piece of paper at me.  
* YOU KNOW FUCKING WELL WHY!  
i unfold it, looks like a letter.

* * *

dear happy,  
my heart just broke.  
i am dusting.  
might as well.  
if my love doesn't want me then this world doesn't need me.  
if i dust before making it there throw my remains in the garbage dump.  
please spread me over the bed of flower.  
your new body is in the closet.  
i finished it yesterday.  
it was supposed to be a surprise.  
alphys

* * *

i blink and look again at the letter.  
SANS? I CAN'T SEEM TO- OH HEY HAPPY, WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE? HAVE YOU HEARD THAT YOUR BFF, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, IS ABOUT TO CAPTURE A HUMAN?  
* NO, I HAD BUSINESS WITH YOUR BROTHER...  
BUSINESS? OH YEAH! THE STAND UP COMEDY THING. I WILL LEAVE YOU TWO THEN.  
* NO NEED, I'M DONE.  
OKAY. ARE WE STILL MEETING FOR ROLE PLAYING WITH BLOOKY AND DY IN 3 DAYS?  
* I THINK WE WILL HAVE TO CANCEL THAT IN LIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS.  
IF YOU SAY SO, THOUGH I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHAT YOU MEAN  
SANS? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?  
papyrus tears my attention from the letter.  
he walked in while i was transfixed reading.  
and apparently mettaton had left.  
* yeah...  
THAT IS GOOD BROTHER, BUT I NEED YOUR HELP.  
I TRIED REACHING ALPHYS OVER HER WEB ACCOUNT, BUT SHE DOESN'T RESPOND.  
IS SHE MAD WITH ME?  
hurt.  
* no bro, it's my fault.  
REALLY? THAT IS QUITE STRANGE. IN THE TWELVE YEARS YOU TWO HAVE BEEN TOGETHER YOU NEVER FOUGHT TO THE POINT OF NOT TALKING. OR AT ALL, NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT. BUT I GUESS SUCH THINGS CAN'T GO THIS WELL FOREVER. I JUST HOPE YOU WILL MAKE UP SOON, I KNOW HOW HAPPY SHE MAKES YOU.  
hurts so much  
* (crack)  
i fall on my knees, pain coursing through my whole body  
SANS?! WHAT WAS THAT NOISE?  
the pain is overwhelming, need to grit my teeth.  
* just the answer to a question i always had.  
i have felt it often enough to keep functioning.  
* i need your mobile.  
SURE, HERE IT IS.  
i take his phone and dial asriel.  
* What is-  
* no time, emergency meeting at flower patch one.  
i hand it back to papyrus who looks concerned.  
SANS, I AM GETTING WORRIED, ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE ALRIGHT?  
* yeah, just gotta go.  
* look the human.  
papyrus turns around, facing the human and away from me.  
i shortcut to first fall.  
* What is so OH MY GOD ARE YOU DUSTING?  
* remember when i made your soul out of a human soul fragment?  
i look at my hand, slowly dusting in the wind.  
* WHY ARE YOU DUSTING?  
* and how we wondered if a heart breaking can cause you to dust?  
as my body is blown away bit by bit tears roll down my face.  
* NONONONO STAY WITH ME CHARA!  
i chuckle, which hurts a lot.  
* apparently it can.  
* No... Chara...  
putting my hand on his shoulder i pull myself together for some last words.  
* i made a mistake, you have to fix it, cause a reset.  
* after that i will be here with you again.  
* do not worry brother.  
with those words i embrace oblivion.

* * *

So, here we are at the ever so important fourth sequence, according to ancient tradition, shit goes down.  
You know the formula?

Chapter one is establishing the premise  
Chapter two is fleshing out the world  
Chapter three is the buildup with the reveal  
And Chapter four is the start of the adventure

So, here are the usual titbits (seriously, thought it was with d) and answers to questions no one asks:

If you didn't notice before, I try to make these annotations to be in the same order as the text  
Asriel/Flowey can change between Boss monster and Flower form at will.  
That is because sans built him a sould out of player/frisk soul fragments.  
To elaborate, when a timeline gets abandoned by a player never coming back, the soul shatter and looses about 99% of its power, but as we know, that is still enough to be stronger than a regular monster soul and sans made it for him  
Sans did the math and learned through trial and error the only way to reach the surface, this will be a major theme in the next sequence.  
For those not sure where I mean, it is the flower patch where you land after the Undyne chasing scene.  
Sans doesn't remember his dreams that well, especially that kind of dream  
Now... Judgement hall... this might be one of the most OoC seeming parts in this Story, even for Deep who is pretty out there compared to most other Sanses. But be honest, how many times could you see the people you care about die and not do something even more violent?  
Well... the breakup scene... I really tried making it heartrending, but I'm not sure if I succeeded... would be nice if anybody could tell me how I managed.  
If you didn't catch on, the crashing sound coming from the lab when sans had left, was Alphys' heart breaking.  
The short fight sequence MTT vs. Sans I gave myself a 10 second limit to think about a way to disable mettaton, anybody wanna call bullshit on what I wrote?  
And the last bit... Asriel Calling Sans "Chara"... put simple, that is how Sans got Flowey to trust him, saying that he is Chara.  
With all the knowledge he gathered from the loops he could easily convince him.


	5. Exposition Dump

alive again.  
damn that hurt.  
grabbing paps' phone by instinct.  
* Bahp-deep-bahp- **click**  
* Hello?  
* is me.  
he just sighs with relief.  
* we should meet in person.  
* Where?  
* my lab.  
i shortcut to the lab and power up this sans' diagnostics equipment.  
the projected magical interface glows into existence shortly before flowey grows out of the ground and turns into asriel.  
he stands and eyes me concerned while i hum to myself and type in the console.  
* how did things go?  
* After you dusted things went out of control pretty fast.  
* Papyrus was pretty much lost, Undyne had lost most of her fighting spirit, Mettaton didn't show up at all.  
i sigh.  
this went badly.  
* and how did you manage a reset?  
* Nope, my turn, why did you dust?  
* fair question.  
i darken the projection and turn to him.  
* alphys died of broken heart so i died of that too.  
asriel sits there for a second, stunned.  
* Wow... so you really...  
* yes, but not because i felt bad.  
* Come again?  
* well not me, but this body did.  
* Huh?  
okay, this needs a lecture to prince fluffybutt.  
i power up the projector again and feed an improvised slideshow into it.  
the first slide is a picture of me.  
ugh, it looks all pixel-y, but this has to do.  
increasing the resolution would consume more of my magical reserves.  
* as you know i can't exactly train my body between universes.  
* that is because all progress gets reset.  
* soul back to the original condition.  
next slide is a picture of the human and their soul, again pixel-y.  
* and if you look at the human it also looks that way.  
* they lose all exp and LV when they go back.  
* while the exp would be understandable, after all the death is undone, the LV impact on the soul isn't really obvious, after all that is more a mental thing.  
* i waved it off as the reset and save loading also putting our souls back to zero.  
* but only the painful death by broken heart made me re-evaluate that.  
* because if it is true, there is one unanswered question.  
* did you ever ask yourself, if the souls reset, why don't our memories reset?  
* Because of determination, duh.  
* no, that is wrong.  
* look at me, i am a regular monster with a soul, determination might be par with undyne, but then she should loop too.  
* Yeah, you're right. So what is it then?

* * *

* well, i had two main theories, but no evidence.  
* but now i have.  
* one, probably wrong, theory was that separate savestates exist for soul and mind.  
* but that would be counter intuitive.  
* after all the mind influences the shape of the soul, so why would it.  
* but the more likely theory is based on observation i did on you, the human and now me.  
i project all three of us in the air.  
asriel is transfixed by my lecture, as usual.  
* you know that before we reach the surface the human always says their name is frisk.  
* they usually have a kind predisposition.  
* but the fragments of the soul we get from an abandoned timeline are...  
* well, yours was from someone quitting in the ruins, and theirs was almost completely empty.  
* only a bit of mindless blood lust in them.  
* the others who quit are similar.  
* and we also know that there is something else that is behind the human.  
* hell-  
* Language.  
* ...heck, we even refer to them as 'the human' instead of 'frisk' because of that.  
* there is something that changes their mind but leaves their soul alone.  
* and that soul is only pure determination, no personality.  
* ... okay technically it is so generic that it-  
* You're starting to rant.  
* oh yeah, sorry.  
* now you, or rather the old you.  
* other floweys don't have a soul.  
* or rather they have a... pseudo soul.  
* anyway, they're mostly fragments of their old bodies sticking together through determination.  
* more of a husk.  
* because of that they have no real soul that resets.  
* that would explain their ability to recall events from a reset.  
* because, there is in fact no savestate for our minds.  
* What?  
* if we had that, then nobody would remember anything.  
* there would be no mental overlapping from timelines being reset.  
* no cause for dejavus in others.  
* another thing is, you have a soul now.  
a slide of azzy and a soul.  
* So what?  
* if we did reset, why would you retain your soul?  
* Because... reasons?  
* no, because your soul is bound to your mind, i saw to that.  
* building that thing and anchoring it so that it loops with you were about two years of work.  
* I knooooow, I was there.  
* and that is the point, i manipulated the frigging multiverse so that your soul stays with your mind.  
* it was a lot of work and only works at all because the fragment to make it is able to be sent to the start of timelines.  
* and with last time's events i finally have evidence.  
* i am just a mind unstuck from the universe.  
* let me finish.  
asriel looks like he wants to interrupt.  
* so are you.  
* and so is the human.  
* i didn't feel worse than when i let papyrus be killed.  
* and i still died.  
* so that means there is something that caused it.  
* and it's right here.  
i pull up my shirt and point to the exposed soul.  
being a skeleton sucks.  
* this is the sans of this universe.  
* i take his body over while i'm here.  
* he is still in there somewhere.  
* listening, maybe even trying to oh...  
* What?  
* i got a giant headache when i broke up with alphys.  
* that was probably him trying to tell me to not do that.  
* Huh...  
we are quiet for a moment.  
he just sits there.  
* Okay.  
am struck by how easily he shakes this off.  
* you take this well.  
he just leans back and start counting on his fingers  
* I helped your suicide, botched our chance at freeing the monsters, died, came back as a flower, did everything from peacemaking to genocide to the populace, met you again, travel now among the universes with a soul and you think that the technicality of how reality works would rattle me?  
i laugh. that fuzzball is like papyrus in that way.  
technicalities don't bother him, only reality.  
and knowing how it works doesn't change the omniverse.  
* At least we now know that the Sans of this universe doesn't get overwritten.  
* or blindsided by what happens while i'm in charge.  
* Exactly.  
* but we still need to fix this mess.  
* that reminds me, how did you cause this reset?  
* I went down to the true lab and raided Alphys' whole stash of canned determination that she still has flying around.  
* that was enough to get control over the save system?  
* Heck no, I injected enough to start falling apart, and then got to the garden where we died.  
* Dad came running and was shocked to see me there.  
* I told him that you died and I needed the souls to bring you back and so he gave them to me.  
* good thinking, i'm proud of you.  
* Thanks.  
* okay, this timeline shot already?  
* Don't know, let me check.  
asriel turns into flowey and shrinks back into the ground.  
* Bahp-deep-bah- **(click)**  
* and?  
* They just started moving, no kills yet, you got an hour till they get to Snowdin.

* * *

powering the projector back on i see the result of my calculations.  
one problem with my old timeline research was that it only considered one universe.  
since then i gained a lot of knowledge.  
but aside from my memory i can't take anything with me.  
so i have to memorise a lot of formulas.  
stretched over the omniverse, the picture gets different.  
what i thought were timeliness ending left and right back then were actually simple save state reloads.  
the bigger problem is that it doesn't help me with what happened last reset.  
i did a few pan-timeline scans before we reached the surface.  
using the core as a processor sped things up.  
nobody was using it anyway.  
after... uh, i think an hour or so?  
must have been that long at least.  
i got it about a minute before we reached the surface and i got kicked to the next universe.  
anyway, i powered up the timeline scan and this time tried to throw the net across the whole omniverse.  
it unravelled the last six hours from all timelines i could reach.  
gave me location of all underground dwellers and timestamps.  
after ignoring exact times and just using chains of events i saw it.  
all universes within the reach of that one were identical on a superficial level.  
of course i already knew that.  
also of course i ran that test multiple times.  
all had the same result.  
and i started thinking that this is it.  
a simple repeat of the same hours over and over again.  
but now i am outside of there.  
uncharted waters.  
i should run the scan again.  
but that will have to wait until i'm at the end.  
so, the big question of how i get there is the hardest.  
my script is out of the window.  
i need a way to shatter the barrier.  
what now?

i smile.  
it feels so good to be discovering again.  
okay, then let's approach this like a puzzle.  
first off, what is different?  
well, alphys and me being together for one thing.  
probably even more.  
okay, let's think of cascading effects.  
the most obvious effect is that undyne and her won't end up together.  
and...  
okay, drawing a blank.  
there are too many other factors in here that i just don't know.  
and if i learned one thing in my long time looping, it's never make the same mistake twice.  
i just shot a universe, painfully so, because i thought i had all the answers.  
so i have to adapt.  
i take a deep breath and let my gaze wander.  
something in here has to help me fix this mess..  
the old machine...  
nope, too broke.  
the blueprints...  
unlikely.  
the ring...  
nah, unless it has some memory spell on it.  
which doesn't exist.  
yet.  
the scrapbook...  
ah yes, the scrapbook, but that won't really help.  
that is more for specifics than for the broad picture.  
i need a way to get information...  
and learn the new rules of the universe...  
and doing that while not blowing the loop...  
in the next six hours...  
this will be fun.

* * *

i stand at the gauntlet of terror.  
this seemed much mure fun three hours ago.  
i learned not much.  
about two hours of reading anything i could get my hands on.  
scrapbook was not really enlightening.  
mostly pictures of this sans, papyrus and their friends.  
birthdays, celebrations and such.  
notes here and there, but they are just statements without context.  
now that i know this sans and alphys are together i can actually see that.  
they stand close together in most shots and even have their arms around each other or goof around.  
with my old context i would've put it down as a good friendship.  
that was actually the most common background for other sans and alphys.  
now am standing here with nothing.  
or at least with nothing that can give me context.  
papyrus is fidgeting around.  
maybe i can get some information out of him via smalltalk.  
* so paps...  
YES BROTHER?  
oh right, i suck at smalltalk...  
* how are things with undyne?  
I AM THIS CLOSE. ONCE I CAUGHT THE HUMAN AND JOINED THE ROYAL GUARD I AM FINALLY A TOUGH GUY, JUST LIKE THE KIND SHE LIKES.  
did he just...  
* what is that about undyne?  
he looks caught  
NOTHING OF IMPORTANCE, WE HAVE TO CAPTURE THE HUMAN, SO I CAN FINALLY BE POPULAR!  
i keep watching into the distance, apparently this news even for this sans.  
lets see if i got that right.  
* with the ladies, i assume.  
SOME OF MY NEW FRIENDS WILL SURELY BE FEMALE BUT THAT IS OF LITTLE IMPORTANCE!  
* i take your word for it, but it sounds _fishy_.  
OH MY GOD SANS! THAT IS EXACTLY WHY I DIDN'T TELL YOU!  
yeah, definitely not a standard universe.  
* sorry bro, will stop with the puns.  
oh i can't resist.  
* i'll _sea_ to that.  
THANK YOU VERY- SAAAAAAAAAAAANS!  
* all right all right, so, you like her?  
OF COURSE I DO, SHE IS STRONG INTELLIGENT, SPONTANEOUS AND I REALLY LIKE HER HAIR. I AM JUST AFRAID SHE'D HATE ME IF I ASKED HER OUT. SHE SAID SHE LIKES TOUGH GUYS SO I TRIED TO BECOME ONE. BUT I WAS NEVER GOOD AT BEING TOUGH LIKE HER. SO I TRIED TO GET HER TO TRAIN ME, BUT INSTEAD OF COMBAT WE JUST COOK, ALWAYS SAYING SHE WILL TRAIN ME FOR COMBAT WHEN I BECOME A ROYAL GUARDSMAN. I DON'T MIND SPENDING TIME WITH HER, EVEN THOUGH I'M A HORRIBLE STUDENT, BUT I CAN'T GET TOUGHER BY COOKING.  
he looks a bit depressed.  
now it's time to be a good brother.  
* don't worry bro, you can catch that human and then you're a royal guard.  
* and we all know that only the toughest get to be in there.  
YOU'RE RIGHT! AND I DID GET BETTER AT RUNNING FROM EXPLOSIONS AND DODGING SHRAPNEL! SO ONCE I AM IN THE ROYAL GUARD I ASK HER OUT!  
oh that is just adorable.

* * *

the human doesn't go to grillby's with me, can't blame them.  
so the next leg of my journey is through waterfall.  
playing pranks on the human trying a bit of smalltalk with the other monsters.  
nothing much comes out of it, didn't expect it anyway.  
the mystery of the new world has lost its shine and now am bored.  
but that is because I need time to actually talk with the big ones's this time.  
the chat with paps was more information about the divergence than two hours of reading.  
so, i do my thing, not antagonising the human too much and wait...  
i lie with my head on the counter of my sentry station.  
i man it at different places but it is always the same one.  
was interesting to build this.  
imagine a computer cloud-  
* GET BACK HERE YOU...  
oh, undyne's here, gotta get my zees on.  
* zzz  
* (thud thud thud)  
* Sans...  
i open my eyes.  
* yes ma'am?  
* Are you sleeping on the job punk?  
* no way ma'am, was just about to report a human running past here.  
* OH DAMN! I will be right back!  
i walk to the front of the sentry station and wait a minute until undyne comes walking back.  
* how did the human hunt go?  
* I don't want to talk about it.  
* okay, mind if i tag along?  
* Huh, why?  
* just, it feels like we haven't talked in a while.  
she crosses her arms and sighs.  
* Yeah, with me being promoted we rarely have time to talk anymore.  
we trot along out of hotland.  
i can see her relieve when we enter waterfall and it's getting cooler.  
the armour is mostly for show.  
looks impressive.  
but against the human might as well be wet tissues.  
* That punk is a feisty one, cooled me with a glass of water. If they weren't so nice I would have crushed them.  
* yeah, nice.  
 _  
its hollow eyes stare at me, not comprehending why i stand in its way.  
and that makes it afraid, even the hollow can be scared of the unknown.  
it lunges at me, only the dust covered stick in its hand.  
i dodge out of the way and hammer a bone through its skull.  
game over.  
_  
we walk past elder puzzler.  
* g'day elder.  
* Hello Elder Puzzler.  
* Yes, yes, hello too.  
we continue our conversation.  
* I just can't help myself, seems I'm a sucker for the big weenies with even bigger hearts.  
...really?  
* oh, i thought you liked tough guys?  
* NGAAAHHHH! I WAS THIRTEEN! HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO HOLD ONTO THAT?!  
we reached echo flower valley.  
* as long as i have to.  
* Yeah, yeah, I know. But it's hard... you know, I never asked how you did it? * as long as i have to.  
* did what? * Yeah, yeah, I know. But it's hard... you know, I never asked how you did it?  
* Ask Alphys to go out with you, because I certainly can't imagine her taking the first step.* did what?  
think fast.  
* alphys never told you? * Ask Alphys to go out with you, because I certainly can't imagine her taking the first step.  
* Well, she said it was because of one of your role playing things. Never went into details.* alphys never told you?  
can work with that  
* sorry gonna respect her decision on that.  
* Oh come on, please?  
we've reached the lantern room by now.  
undyne and i walk the path through it from memory.  
she sighs.  
* I joined a role-playing group in hopes it works out but, nope! I tried being myself, just like you told me, but that doesn't help. Whenever we talk I just get nervous and assault him via suplex, noogie or something. The cooking lessons are fun, i like spending some alone time with him, even though I'm a horrible teacher, but i just can't tell him.  
... this can't be coincidence, can it?  
* then just write papyrus a letter.  
* Oh yeah, great idea "Dear Papyrus, I love you, wanna snog behind the shed?"  
* wanna snog  
* Papyrus I love you  
* wanna snog Papyrus  
just in time for the echo flower room.  
she blushes furiously.  
i whistle a song to overwrite undyne's outburst.  
she composes herself again as we walk towards her house.  
Thanks * (whistling)  
* snog?  
* Shut up.  
* from all the words to chose from you go with snog?  
* Be quiet.  
we approach her house and papyrus is standing in front of the house.  
she walks to him while i stay back and let them chat.  
i have no idea if this actually gets us anywhere but if nothing else, i do love shipping.

* * *

Well, here is another sequence I apologise that it is pretty exposition heavy, I promise to make the next sequence a more of a mindblower to compensate for the information dump here.  
The usual commentaries will follow, but before that:  
 **I refuse to objectively elaborate on the "player" nature in Deeptale at this point.**

A lot of stuff happened after sans died the he'll never have the full picture about, but here is the cliffnotes (no idea how it is written) version

Lots of his dust got on Asriel who freaked out for about an hour before calming down to do anything aside from running in circles, mostly because it was unexpected and not the usual risk.

By that time Papyrus was already done with the human, reported to Undyne and went searching for Sans

When Papyrus reports to Undyne he tells her about Alphys not answering which makes her call Mettaton, who tells her the whole story.

This broke her spirit since Alphys is something of a big sister and advisor in this universe.

The whole Hotlands and Core are more like the genocide versions of the levels, all elevators are unlocked from the beginning since Mettaton wasn't in the mood for that.

That includes R3 being accessible from the beginning, meaning the human doesn't necessarily encounter Muffet.

In this run the human explored as much of Hotland es they could before Asriel caused a forced reset.

As Asriel said, he raided Alphys' lab for a few determination reserves for the tick to work.

Which she should have in my opinion, after all, first extract all the determination you want, can it in some way what is in the fridges? and give the souls back but have a small stash in case of new ideas

Sans can do impressive things if given enough time

the whole giving Asriel a soul business was extremely risky and might have corrupted the whole universe if he did it wrong.

Or the whole deal with taking Flowey with him at all.

In my opinion there are three levels of tech in the underground:

The stuff the common people have, computers cellphones and such.

Alphys robotics and other next gen tech

Sans private stash of technology so far advanced that only Alphys has enough brains to reverse engineer part of it, and even then not completely

I have enough theories and ideas about different technologies they could be using that it could fill several books, so I wait until i can introduce them organically.

like the other fics I'm writing

the Holo projector is nothing more than a link between a computer and his soul that uses his magic to project the desktop or terminal using his magic.

The pixel-y pictures on the slides are, as you can guess, the sprites from the game.

While Sans is the baddest bad ass that lives in the underground, even he makes mistakes, especially when plunging in the depths of the omniverse.

The whole timeline mess for starters, he just didn't know better

Always asked myself why papyrus wants to join the royal guard, but there are so many possible reasons, so maybe one is true for each minor AU

Serious question, who actually guessed the thing with Undyne and Papyrus? I tried to leave hints here and there, hopefully it worked.


	6. Running just to keep up

i follow alphys' performance with metty during hotland.  
got my own phone this time.  
it is one of the older ones with 5" display, nothing fancy.  
bought it before paps' "date" with the human.  
currently am watching the mettaton show™ starring mettaton.  
and i can see the first obvious difference to the other multiverse.  
alphys blossoms in her role, always arriving at the scene of the show in the nick of time.  
she hams it up, goes overboard with boasts and grins maniacally.  
in this universe the roles are different.  
we don't have the killer robot and hero scientist.  
it might look like that for the human, but the broadcast tells another story.  
we have the heroic robot, defender of monsters.  
and on the other hand we have the mad scientist who guides the human through hotland.  
after alphys' first public appearance, something that she'd never do in the old universe i shortcut around and check on something.  
apparently alphys never told the families that everyone was alive.  
all she did was write letters to the families, stating that there was some kind of incident in the lab.  
she apologised about not being able to return the dust at the time and that she is working on it.  
after i hear that, i check downstairs.  
the amalgamates are shambling around.  
it seems alphys is trying to stabilise the amalgamates so that they might be separated again.  
at least according to her logs.  
i know it's very rude, even have a minor headache.  
but that doesn't stop me.  
i snoop more around.  
the logs don't bother much with mettaton's fame.  
instead talking about undyne and her girl problems.  
and some thoughts on this sans too.  
but then came the big whopper.  
* ENTRY NUMBER 15  
* Seems like the research was a dead end.  
* But I might have discovered monster immortality here.  
* I sent the vessel and SOULS back to ASGORE.  
* I'll spend some time studying them before I send them back up.  
* They are okay with that, after all I saved their lives.  
* This might be huge.  
* ENTRY NUMBER 16  
* no no nO NO NO NO NO!  
* ENTRY NUMBER 17  
* the human body is mostly water.  
* ours is mostly magic.  
* determination makes magic volatile.  
* a lot of it in a monster breaks down the body.  
* they all melted together.  
* if i can stabilise it, i might be able to separate their souls.  
* ENTRY NUMBER 18  
* the flower is gone.  
* ENTRY NUMBER 19  
* sans asked what is wrong.  
* i can't tell him what has happened.  
* this is my burden.  
* he's already taking care of papyrus.  
* ENTRY NUMBER 20  
* sans probably knows something is wrong.  
* but he doesn't intrude.  
* he just comforts me.  
* i can't imagine what i'd do without him.  
* ENTRY NUMBER 21  
* i spent most of my time down here.  
* if i can fix it i might be able to open up to my love again.  
as i walk through the lab i see another terminal.  
my head still hurts but it has gotten weaker.  
a new one, something part of this universe.  
* ENTRY NUMBER 22  
* whenever we work together i feel like i am standing on the shoulders of a giant.  
* he helps me to reach unimaginable heights by merely standing at my side.  
* he is great and all that i need in my life.  
* i feel like i am an imposter who stepped into a place that was meant for someone else.  
* i feel like all i do is take.  
* if only i could do this, i could finally be worthy of him.  
the headache stops.  
poor alphys.  
i've got to find a way to improve her self esteem.  
if i do that, she might abandon all this and release the amalgamates.  
but right now i have no idea how.  
and until i find a way, i've got something else i could try.

* * *

i sit on the couch together with undyne and papyrus, watching the grand finale of the mettaton show™ starring mettaton.  
undyne befriended the human shortly after their trip to hotland and our enlightening conversation.  
the human and metty are currently facing off in the big elevator.  
they set the whole thing up with smoke machines and fireworks.  
must have taken some time to prepare that.  
alphys is currently offscreen, waiting for a cue i assume.  
she rocked the whole show, playing the bad guy who always draws the inevitable confrontation between the human and metty out.  
mettaton was always trying to stop the human by reactivating the puzzles, even asking the viewers for help.  
alphys always furthering the evil agenda of the human, deactivating the puzzles.  
and she looks damn good in that black lab coat.  
my favourite mettaton moment™ was when alphys' computer crashed during the tile puzzle and she just used her lightning magic to short circuit the flamethrowers.  
metty's shocked face was just electrifying.  
currently i'm sprawled over the couch in a way that forces the two of them to sit really close together.  
nobody is complaining.  
usually you can't get them to be silent for more than three seconds.  
right now, they hadn't said a word in about ten minutes.  
* (knock knock knock knock)  
they startle a bit when the door knocks.  
that should be my partner in crime.  
* i'll go.  
i stand up, leaving a lot of space on the couch.  
the two aren't moving an inch.  
i leisurely walk to the door.  
asriel is standing on the other side.  
* is for me, i'll be out, kay?  
i hear only some mumbled acknowledgement.  
giving them some private time i pull the door shut behind me.  
the whole street is empty.  
everyone is inside watching the the mettaton show™ starring mettaton.  
i love that name.  
we walk around the house and take the regular route into my lab.  
* sup.  
* You know perfectly well what's up. It's crunch time. So what's the plan?  
* you think i got a plan?  
* I hope so, cause I have no clue.  
* i got some strings we could pull.  
* well, one string we can pull and another i have no idea what to do with.  
* but if this doesn't work, we try, try again.  
* Yeah, we have ideas, and sometimes they even work.  
* So, lay it on me.

* * *

the mettaton show™ starring mettaton ended with the human sparing mettaton.  
they didn't walk towards judgement hall.  
i sat there and waited for some time, working on a new spell.  
if there there are two multi-  
* (ring-ring ring-ring ring- **click** )  
* you got sans.  
* You got 10 seconds, I got popcorn.  
i shortcut to the living room, outside papyrus and undyne are standing around.  
asriel is kneeling on the couch facing outside.  
he doesn't even look at me, transfixed with what we initiated.  
* You got here just in time.  
no matter how old he is, he still retains his childlike curiosity.  
i never said it is a bad thing to be curious.  
i kneel on the couch too, getting some ketchup chips from my private stash.  
this gonna be good.  
* chaps?  
* Nah, have popcorn. Now, shh.  
HUMAN, WOULD YOU ALLOW ME TO CAPTURE YOU?  
the human nods.  
THANKS YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.  
Err... what are you doing there Papyrus?  
papyrus is kneeling down and picks the human up.  
I AM CAPTURING A HUMAN, YOU SAID THAT I CAN JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD IF I MANAGE THAT. AND WITH THE HELP OF MY FRIEND HERE I JUST CONSENSUALLY CAPTURED A HUMAN.  
he holds them out towards undyne.  
she is clearly lost.  
* Well yeah-  
AND THAT SHOULD MEAN THAT I AM NOW PART OF THE ROYAL GUARD, OR DID I UNDERSTAND SOMETHING WRONG?  
* No, well-  
IN THAT CASE, NOW AS A ROYAL GUARD WHERE ONLY THE TOUGHEST MAY JOIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO OUT WITH ME?

I JUST THOUGHT NOW THAT I AM A TOUGH GUY YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED... I CAN UNDERSTAND IF I AM STILL NOT TOUGH ENOUGH, I WILL TRAIN EVEN HARDER SO I AM THE TOUGHEST GUY IN THE UNDER-  
* NGGGAAAAHHH!  
wow, that was one hardcore throw.  
i have the perfect idea for next time.  
* (wham)  
OWIE!  
* I WOULD LOVE TO GO ON A DATE WITH YOU THIS SATURDAY!  
* That is... if you have time...  
oh my god, so cute.  
YAY! I HAVE TO TELL HAPPY RIGHT NOW.

HMM... NOBODY IS PICKING UP. HUMAN, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AND GO TELL HIM, I WILL BE BUSY HOLDING THE HAND OF MY NEW GIRLFRIEND.  
* Yeah...  
WOWIE, THEN SANS WAS RIGHT, ALL I NEEDED WAS TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD.  
* Wait... was that the reason you wanted to join the royal guard in the first place?  
IS THERE AN ANSWER THAT WON'T RESULT IN A SUPLEX?  
* (wham)  
* Nope.  
i can hear the human leave.  
asriel and i high five.  
this was awesome.  
and just like i expected.  
asriel called papyrus a bit earlier and gave him the idea of "capturing" the human that way.  
of course he would remember the conversation we had earlier and ask undyne out.  
and undyne would of course be flustered and accept.  
i'd like to tell that i had no idea what would happen, but they are still the same people in the core.  
even if the surface is slightly different, i was dead on with the basics.  
huh...  
yeah, i was...  
i sit down on the couch.  
i really should have seen that with alphys coming.  
deep down she is the same too.  
i remember all the timelines where metty dies...  
okay enough brooding.  
besides, i ran out of chips.  
asriel is still giggling and watching out the window.  
* az?  
* Hm?  
* next time, wanna get out there and judge the throw?  
* How do you mean that?  
* you know, like those contest judges with their signs that have numbers on them.  
* Oh, that sounds cool, in my Flowey body I guess?  
* yeah, no casual bm body in front of the human.  
* Count me in.  
* cool, now excuse me while i give the couple my best wishes.  
* Do that, I'll call Papyrus later.  
* kay.  
i stand up and make my way to the door.  
i shortcut the chips bag in the trashcan.  
no need to raise suspicion.  
hmm...  
taking the front door would be very suspicious.  
yeah, better come out of grillby's.  
everyone's alive in there, so i have to pull the door swap.  
i concentrate for a second.  
i open the front door of my house which leads to the outside of grillby's.  
i close the door behind me and dispel the shortcut.  
a short walk later i am nearing the house.  
the two lovebirds are still standing there, holding hands and grinning dumbstruck.  
* heya.  
SANS, I GOT A GIRLFRIEND!  
* 'grats, you two already snogged?  
* Sans...  
* you know, behind the shed?  
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?  
if looks could kill.  
* nothing bro, just happy for you.  
THANK YOU BROTHER. BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?  
* whatcha mean?  
* Yeah, don't you have a date with Alphys today? Shouldn't you be in the MTT resort restaurant?  
that's interesting.  
* yeah, but i forgot something here.  
OH NO, IS IT THE RING?  
* The RING?  
the ring?  
YES, HE SPENT THE LAST TWO MONTHS WORKING ON IT. IT IS BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED.  
* Wow, so you're popping the question today, huh? I wish you success.  
THE SAME FROM ME BROTHER BUT YOU SHOULDN'T DAWDLE ANY MORE. ALPHYS SHOULD BE WAITING FOR YOU AT THE LAB.  
the ring!  
the one in the lab!  
it isn't from his father.  
it's his engagement ring!  
and it might work out.  
* yeah, just let me grab the ring.

* * *

i've got no idea if this date is casual or formal.  
so i grabbed a jacket and threw it over my shirt.  
the ring is still lying on the table.  
i search through the drawers and find the little box to put it inside.  
he must've been pretty sure about this if he didn't bother with boxing it earlier.  
i grab the id card just in case and shortcut to in front of alphys' lab.  
i give the door a knock.  
nobody answers...  
after a minute there's still no reaction from inside.  
i swipe my id card and step inside.  
can't see her in the main room.  
better check her private room then.  
i shortcut to the conveyor and let it carry me up.  
no trace of her here either.  
nothing out of the usual aside from-  
* Hello Sans, surprised to see you.  
* heya metty. yeah, i forgot something and ran a bit late.  
* What do you mean? I thought you picked up Alphys a few minutes ago.  
huh?  
* what exactly happened?  
* Well, Alphys was plugging my body into the recharger and was about to reattach my arms and wonderfully gorgeous legs, you did see them, didn't you?  
* yeah, have been walking through my mind.  
* Oh you charmer. Anyway there was a knock at the door and then she jumped up and began running around. Apparently she forgot date night in the hubbub of the human falling down. So she took her dress out of the closet, rushed towards the door and left with whoever was out there, which I assumed was you.  
* must've been the human.  
metty looks at me quizzically.  
* after you didn't pick up your phone, papyrus sent them to tell you he has a girlfriend now.  
* Ah, he and Undyne FINALLY hooked up?  
* yeah, gotta jet now though, i bet she is in the restaurant.  
* Yes darling, we'll chat later.  
i walk back down and take the conveyor as metty calls the lovebirds.  
* Hello Papy, Yeah, sorry, my internal telephone ran out of juice when I did. Anyway, I heard the news from Sans. Congratulations you two! You know, many of us thought you were already...  
once outside his field of vision i shortcut to the restaurant.  
i step through it into the restaurant.  
the human and alphys are sitting at my favourite table.  
alphys' back is turned to me and is currently rambling.  
* -RY YOU, ALPHYS. YOU ARE A TALENTLESS HACK NOT WORTHY OF MY GREATNESS AND INTELLIGENCE AND HANDSOMENESS AND WHO I ONLY KEEP AROUND BECAUSE I PITY YOU AND NOT BECAUSE OF ANY ACTUAL QUALITY YOU POSSESS.  
she really needs to work on those issues.  
* do i really sound like that big a dingus.  
* S-sans! Oh my god Sans. I didn't mean to- I thought you- I'm so sorry! I always screw up like this!  
* alphys.  
igo up to her and hold her hand while she rants.  
* I can't do anything by myself. I'm a failure as a scientist and you're just so great and nice and the best and all I do is ride on your coattail, always using your skill as a crutch to keep myself up and I'm afraid that one day because of that, you'll just leave me.  
she has tears forming in her eyes.  
* Which would really break my heart, because I love you.  
* alphys, please calm down.  
now is make or break time.  
but i don't have a script for this.  
but the words start pouring out of my mouth.  
* you're the candle in the darkness that keeps me safe. you're the most precious person to me. the reason i stand up in the morning and why i strife to make this hellhole of a cave a better place. you have nothing to fear, because you have a beautiful mind bar none, a thing of unparalleled intelligence and talent. you're everything i'd wish for and so much more. and i want to be with you until the end of time. so i have to ask you something  
i go down on a knee and pull the ring out.  
* alphys, will you marry me?

* (sob)  
* alphys?  
* Y-yes, o-of c-course, y-you n-numbskull.  
i put the ring on her finger.  
now to lighten the atmosphere.  
* oh, good, because that would have been really embarrassing if you said no.  
* Sh-shut up.  
* no seriously, i'd be embarrassed down to the bone.  
* You're terrible.  
* and you're stuck with me forever.  
* I take that as a promise.  
* kiddo, what's that over there?  
the human turns around and i kiss alphys.  
we'd get an earful from toriel if we kissed while they were watching.  
we break the kiss before the human turns around again.  
after a few seconds realisation strikes her.  
* I am so sorry but I have something urgent to do, we can... celebrate when I'm done.  
she leaves in a hurry.  
* huh, i wonder where she is going?  
as on queue the human ran after her.  
down to the true lab i hope.

* * *

it is before the big finale.  
currently am waiting in the shadows.  
everything goes as usual at first.  
asgore tries to fight the human.  
toriel fireballs him in the chest and berates him.  
now it would be time for undyne bursting in.  
let's see how it goes...  
* S-stop! T-there w-won't be fighting on this w-wonderful day!  
* L-life is to precious and wonderful and the b-best to waste it!

* Hello, are you the human's friend?  
* It is nice to meet you.  
* Uh... h-hi?  
* (THERE'S TWO OF THEM?)  
two-toriels... that would be a good one.  
then the newest couple enter running.  
HEY NOBODY FIGHT ANYONE! IF ANYONE FIGHTS ANYONE... THEN I'LL BE FORCED TO ASK MY GIRLFRIEND FOR HELP!  
* Exactly! If you don't start making friends right now I'll... I'll...  
* Oh, are you two friends of the human too? Hello!  
OH! HELLO, YOUR MAJESTY! PSST... DID ASGORE SHAVE...? AND... CLONE HIMSELF?  
* No, you bonehead that is obviously his ex.  
OH GOD, PUNS! NOT YOU TOO!  
okay, no idea what my cue is, so, i'm just gonna take that.  
* ah if it isn't my favourite power couple, pundyne.  
NO! THIS IS THE WORST DAY EVER!  
* That voice...! Hello, I think we may... Know each other?  
* oh hey... i recognize your voice, too.  
* So nice to meet you.  
* the name's sans.  
* and, uh, same.  
* Oh! Wait, then...!  
* This must be Alphys... I see a ring on her hand, so you finally asked her, eh?  
* yeah, am glad the dog didn't swallow it or it would be-  
* A diamond in the ruff.  
toriel finished the joke with such panache that i wouldn't be surprised if it was actually arranged.  
HE DID? SO EVERYONE GOT THE ONE THEY LOVE AT THEIR SIDE! I CHANGED MY MIND, TODAY IS MIGHTY NEAT! I CAN'T WAIT TILL TOMORROW, MAYBE THERE WILL BE EVEN MORE!  
mettaton creeps around the corner of the door, holding his leg inside.  
* OH GOD, JUST KISS ALREADY, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN DYING TO DO IT FOR YEARS. PLUS THE AUDIENCE LOOOOVES YOUNG LOVE.  
HA-METTATON! THAT IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE! RIGHT UNDYNE? ... UH, UNDYNE?  
* You know, what, that punk is RIGHT! Come here for a good snogging!  
UH... IF YOU SAY SO UNDYNE!  
they are getting closer together  
* Wait! Not in front  
* W-wait!  
* Not in front of the human!  
* Uhh , right ! S-sorry , I got a little carried away there.  
* Hee hee hee.  
* My child , it seems as if you must stay here for a while.  
* But looking at all the great friends you have made...  
* I think...  
* I think you will be happy here.  
* H-hey , that reminds me.  
* Papyrus.. . YOU called everyone here , right?  
* Well , besides , uh , her.  
* Uh , anyway.. . If I got here before you...  
* How did you know how to call everybody?  
LET'S JUST SAY...  
A TINY FLOWER HELPED ME.  
* A tiny.. . flower?  
and that is the cue for flowey.  
what follows is exactly like every other time i followed my script and stood here.  
we get absorbed.  
asriel and the human fight as usual.  
they tell us their name is frisk.  
and then asriel breaks the barrier,.  
nothing out of the ordinary here, we did this thousands of time.  
when we are finally back frisk has a last look around the underground before we fo to the surface.  
i excuse myself and shortcut directly into the core main room.  
before the last fight i started a cross-timeline scan routine.  
it is only up to 40% but it shows that it is an own cluster.  
once i have a way to find the cluster boundaries they need unique identifiers...  
well, it was pretty surreal so, how about, alice for this one?  
as i shortcut back to the the pre-barrier room i just have to ask myself...  
how many other clusters are out there?

* * *

Thanks to friends and family for supporting us. And ALICETALE TEAM thanks you, the player, from the bottom of our hearts. Without you, all of this would be impossible. Good night.

* * *

Welcome to the end of Alice is Dead.

The next chapter will start a new arc, and as usual, here are your authors commentaries:

In general: Every sequence is written with the thought in mind, that it has to work as a game.  
The bit of dialog about Sans being right and the suplex between Undyne and Papyrus is when you talk to them after they get together, for examle.  
The Alphys and Human in the diner sequence is the Alphys date of this multiverse and it also is with the choose your own adventure style decisions what you say. This is nearing the end and Sans just walks in on it, like Undyne into Alphys' "date" with the human.  
Her rambling is based on the similar scene you chose that Alphys plays Undyne and she starts ranting that Undyne is so awesome and that she, Alphys, is never gonna be together with her.

The smartphone Sans bought for cheap is a (for us) modern one, as it is years after Chara fell in 201X and what is new now will be old by then.  
And yes, I know Toriel has a really old one, but I think that one was from 199X (Earthbound reference)  
His ringtone is the standard "ring ring" sound, since he doesn't bother changing it for the few hours.

The log entries were made to resemble the original ones as much as possible while still fitting the new world.

The bit where sans manipulates Papyrus into "capturing" the human comes from my opinion that in the true pacifist ending it is Flowey who suggests to Papyrus that Undyne can give the human the letter for Alphys, since that sequence only happens on a post spare Flowey run, not the first time you go pacifist (thanks to Driaz for reminding me to put the commentary in here)

The short nonsense dialog between Asriel and Sans is just me poking fun at Undertale comics and how many of those wouldn't happen in canon-verse.  
For the record, I love Undertale Comics, especially the kind I described.

Shortcuts are, as the name implies, cutting the distance between two points shorter. While all being listed under "Shortcuts" there are three essentially different kinds  
Sans' normal shortcut is connecting two points for a moment, shifting the space beneath him so that he doesn't need to move. It's what he uses to get Papyrus' phone or other items or how he moves great distances at once.  
The kind he usually uses with frisk is more complex, he connects two segments in space by magic, causing it to look like a hole leading to another place in the air.  
Then there is the kind he uses to avert suspicion, as seen in the fic, he partially swaps doors out, making the inside half of it "connect" to the outside of another one and vice versa.  
How else would nobody be suspicious about Sans? They can rationalise him coming out of impossible doors, but appearing out of thin air is a bit much.

The little speech is something the Sans of this universe had prepared for this moment, so he got it from there.  
After hearing it Alphys wanted to release the amalgamates and that made her go to the true lab.

The pre boss fight scene with Asriel, the whole everyone gets captured sequence, was super tedious, but as you can imagine, quite important  
I really wanted to keep the fact that Alphys came before Papyrus in there, but I also wanted him and Undyne coming in together, made the scene quite different.  
Toriel and Sans also talked in this universe and he also made the promise, but since papyrus was part of the kissing sequence at the end, so I put Alphys in the spotlight for the sans and Toriel conversation.

The very last line is from the end of the Undertale credits. I plan to end every sequence like that, telling the name of the AU in that way. Anybody opposed?


	7. Water through fingers

Arc 2: The Devil's Playhouse  
Sequence 1: Water through fingers.

i sit on the couch with a book in my hand.  
so, another new universe.  
i wonder if this is an alice or a basic universe?  
since we first arrived in the alice cluster we randomly switched between them.  
that was more than five hundred jumps ago.  
differentiating between them is quite easy.  
but i had learned to be vigilant.  
so, time to go to the lab.  
i look for the bookmark.  
it had been some time since the last time when i was awake at the reset start.  
i think it only happened once or twice since asriel has been with me.  
where is the bookmark?  
the book is about halfway through.  
huh, i wonder what exactly he was reading...  
ender's game?  
i read that ages ago.  
inspired a few of my other favourite stories.  
was a good read.  
huh... i wonder at which part he is.  
wait...  
mobile phone!  
i quickly grab papyrus' phone.  
* bahp-deep- **click**  
that was close.  
* heya.  
* Howdy, they got hit, and listened intently.  
* nice.  
* So, which universe is it?  
oh damn, i should've already checked by now.  
* let me look.  
* Okay, so search in the drawers, call me back, it's showtime.  
i shortcut to the lab.  
no ring on the table.  
the book is still in my hand.  
forgot to put it down.  
i grab a something from the table and use it as a bookmark.  
after a few minutes searching the drawers i come up empty handed.  
i look for my spare hoodie but instead there is a coat lying on the chair.  
i check its pockets for an id card.  
nothing there aside from pastry wrappers.  
so not likely alice.  
but i'll know where we are for sure, when the human reaches hotland.  
maybe i should check the scrapbook?  
but that's not definite proof or even evidence.  
i look around.  
the mirror at the south wall greets me.  
i hadn't really taken my appearance in, but i'm not wearing my usual t-shirt and shorts.  
i'm only wearing snas brand underpants.  
damn, this one is an even greater slob than usual...  
i'd better get some clothes.  
i shortcut to my room and open my closet.  
buttoned shirts.  
why are there so many buttoned shirt.  
and no hoodie or parka.  
only grey, black and blue buttoned shirts.  
well, not only those.  
there are still t-shirts.  
i grab one and throw it on.  
i also look for pants.  
but no shorts there either.  
just, regular pants.  
with a sigh i put them on.  
i won't go out in underpants.  
the last time things went... silly.  
i consider the buttoned shirts.  
maybe he has a hoodie or parka around here somewhere?  
i spend a lot of time searching.  
the next time i look at a clock an hour has passed.  
that is strange... it didn't feel that long.  
but i've lost too much time by now.  
i grab a shirt at random and put it on.  
i start buttoning it up.  
now off to look for some evidence about where we are.  
running around without a hoodie might attract suspicion.  
so i'll ask around snowdin when i'm done with alphys' lab.

* * *

i shortcut to alphys' true lab.  
i stand in the hallway where the twenty second entry would be.  
nothing in front of me.  
so this should be basic.  
at least probably.  
i hear something.  
i glance up and down the hall.  
can't see anything.  
lights are on of course, the power out occurs later.  
just nothing of interest.  
maybe my mind is playing a trick on me?  
i sigh.  
the air is heavy and musty.  
a faint smell of the liquified bodies of the amalgamates still hangs here.  
they are tough as nails and can pack quite a punch.  
as far as i've seen the human can't even scratch them.  
i wonder if i could do it?  
they shouldn't be innocent so the karma might-  
WHAT THE FUCK?  
where did that thought come from?  
i snap back to reality.  
my feet carried me to the bed room.  
i think the noises came from here.  
but no one's here.  
well, so much for that.  
i shortcut back to this sans' lab.  
now that i know my context i can look through the scrapbook.  
in the drawer are multiple books.  
that is a lot.  
i start with the top most.  
it isn't a scrapbook for memories.  
it's a notebook for ideas.  
in it are a lot of notes on theoretical magical tech.  
hard light holograms, magic powered headphones, healing ointment...  
i go through the others.  
more notebooks.  
about so many different subjects.  
not one is even half full.  
biology, philosophy, games and spells...  
artificial monster flesh and souls...  
ethics on monster experimentation, if humans can feel pain...  
theoretical rules for time chess, game master notes...  
soul data storage, high density pure magic projectiles...  
mostly just theoretical, ludicrous ideas.  
the amount of writing in them combined is close to the scrapbook.  
they don't really help me.  
why doesn't he keep a scrapbook?  
this is strange.  
i lean back, the coat sliding to the ground.  
with a sigh i pick it up.  
why would he keep his coat there?  
and why does he even have one?  
it's black with six big buttons.  
i put it on and look through the pockets.  
mostly crumpled up paper, wrappers for pastries and such.  
i sit back down again.  
okay, what the hell is going on here?  
goddamn my head feels like it's filled with syrup.  
whatever is with my head, it feels like i'm drunk or worse.  
how to clear it?  
on the desk are also a pair of headphones.  
i remember something about them in one of the notebooks.  
the topmost, if i remember right.  
i reach for it and notice, i still have the coat on.  
huh...  
maybe this is what he wears instead of the hoodie?  
it has a hood, so... yeah, could be.  
i search for the entry about the headphones.  
ah, here it is.  
 _* regular headphones that have a built in computer to play music.  
* connect to magic and it draws energy from it.  
* much better than stupid headphones and stupid tapes.  
* __no_ _cables!_  
hmmm...  
yeah, i think some music could really help my head.  
i put it on, connect it to my magic and press play.  
it plays a nice tune, don't know the genre but it is pretty catchy.  
i listen to it and relax a bit, waiting for my head to clear.  
i can still use the time constructively.  
most sans' don't leave scientific notes lying around, so this might be an opportunity.  
the spell notebook in hand i take a closer look at the soul data storage spell.  
it has been started and crossed out a few times.  
but it doesn't look like the thing works.  
the last few look promising with a bit of work.  
i can't really use that since i don't have a soul of my own.  
but i could try this out on asriel...  
after the last one is a cryptic note.  
 _* what if outside of everything?_  
huh.  
i look at a few more pages.  
enhanced movement with telekinesis.  
already using that.  
pausing the music, it's kinda distracting.  
telepathy.  
it's four whole pages of trials and failures.  
on the fifth he starts talking about soulbonding as an approach.  
well, looks like someone lost their innocence.  
i don't think i ever did before the whole...  
i put the notebook down.  
maybe another one?  
hm, something is...  
oh, yeah, i stopped the music.  
restarting it, it plays some kind of droning ambience.  
like from a horror movie soundtrack.  
not in the mood for that.  
skipping it.  
the next one starts slowly with brass.  
i lean back and close my eyes.  
it grows, gaining a tad grandness.  
i stand up, feel like stretching my legs.  
a trumpet solo sets in.  
i start walking up and down my lab.  
this is nice.  
my imagination sets into overdrive.  
i can imagine the scene in my head.  
me standing in the corridor, the human coming up to me.  
leaving the headphones on.  
dodging my way through their attacks in the rhythm to the music,  
a knife in my hand, slitting their throat.  
clutching their throat the blood doesn't stop flowing.  
and i stand over them, smiling.  
and then the lyrics start...  
"I get tired of the things that change, around me in this so called game. Please somebody make a change."  
i snap back to reality.  
HOLY FUCKING SHIT!  
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME TODAY?  
i stand still and stop the music.  
* bahp-deep-bahp- **click**  
* ... heya.  
have i really just spent about an hour reading books and listening to music?  
* Howdy, well, the human is a pacifist and just spared Mum.  
* good, i'll get to my post.  
* Good. And which universe is it?  
* basic as far as i can tell.  
* Okay, see ya at the end.  
i end the call.  
well, i guess it's time now.

* * *

i shortcut to the door.  
snow is everywhere.  
it's beautiful here.  
a cold wind is whistling around my legs.  
wait...  
cold?  
i feel the cold?  
usually i just know whether it's cold or not.  
but this...  
i can feel the warmth in my bones exiting my body.  
the sensation of cooling down...  
a chill goes down my spine.  
literally.  
i feel the cold!  
my grin gets broader.  
this is new.  
three new things.  
the buttoned shirts, the multiple notebooks and the cold.  
maybe this is another multiverse?  
would explain why i didn't find a whoopee cushion.  
and i noticed that pretty early, not three resets in.  
i laugh and skip towards the human.  
i open a shortcut around me.  
it leads to a black stone in the depths of waterfall.  
makes me look like a shadow.  
before i notice i stand behind them.  
but i don't have the cushion...  
so i hesitate, what now?  
they stand there, back to me, only in their striped shirt.  
aren't they cold?  
i should really get them somewhere warm.  
* Hello little human, aren't you cold? I can bring you to my house, if you want to warm up.  
the human turns around.  
they have the same look as always.  
how can i put it?  
kind of like a dreamer.  
like all this is natural.  
and that i should get on with it.  
i dispel the shortcut.  
* since you must be freezing down to your bones.  
* name's sans.  
* sans the skeleton.  
i hold my hand out and the human shakes it.  
now i would usually go on about sentry duty and paps.  
it'd be safe to say paps is a sentry.  
but i thought the same about alphys and undyne getting it on.  
well, this is only between me and the human anyway.  
time to improvise.  
i walk to where my sentry station usually stands.  
the human follows me.  
* you're lucky i found you on my stroll.  
i can already see the lamp.  
* someone else might try to do something to you.  
* but, don't worry.  
* i'll look after-  
no sentry station.  
universe number three.

* * *

* you.  
okay, this is huge.  
this is not just different ships.  
i can see papyrus walking closer.  
* quick, behind that conveniently-shaped lamp.  
the human walks behind the lamp.  
i create a shortcut just in time.  
* sup, bro.  
YOU KNOW WHAT "SUP", BROTHER!  
IT'S BEEN EIGHT DAYS AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T...  
FIXED. THE. SYSTEM!  
wait, what?  
YOU JUST WALK THROUGH THE WOODS EVERY DAY!  
WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?!  
... ooookay?  
* staring at this lamp.  
* it's really cool.  
* do you wanna look?  
NO! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT!  
WHAT IF A HUMAN COMES THROUGH HERE!?  
I WANT TO BE READY!  
I WILL BE THE ONE! I MUST BE THE ONE!  
I WILL CAPTURE A HUMAN!  
THEN, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS... WILL GET ALL THE THINGS I UTTERLY DESERVE! RESPECT... RECOGNITION... I WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD!  
PEOPLE WILL ASK, TO, BE MY, "FRIEND?"  
I WILL BATHE IN A SHOWER OF KISSES EVERY MORNING.  
at least that is the same.  
* hmm...  
* maybe this lamp will help you?  
SANS! YOU ARE NOT HELPING! YOU  
WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SUCH A NUMBSKULL?!  
and then he takes a breath and composes himself.  
SIGH... JUST... GET HOME AND WORK ON THE SYSTEM, OKAY?  
paps leaves.  
this is... different.  
after paps left i dispel the shortcut around the human.  
the human is visible again.  
the lamp no longer taking their place.  
only an idiot would be fooled by standing just behind that lamp.  
and paps is no idiot.  
he is carefree and childish.  
but not stupid.  
* you can come out now.  
carefully the human steps away from the lamp.  
they have a closer look at the lamp but since there is nothing else, head towards the exit.  
i give the usual speech about my papyrus needing some cheering up and head into the woods.  
i remain at the lamp, the sentry station missing gives me some food for thought.  
apparently i'm not a sentry here, but rather have some other job.  
something to do with, what papyrus called "the system".  
hmmmm...  
the wind keeps whistling.  
i put the headphones back on for a moment and press play.  
it's a deep raspy voice and a catchy beat.  
it doesn't rain down here.  
but that would be nice.  
the feeling of water drops falling from the sky...  
i stop the music again. shouldn't have wasted as much time as i have.  
a shortcut later i walk into the clearing with paps waiting in it.  
HEADING HOME?  
* yeah, thought it was about time.  
GOOD, ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE SUSPICIONS A HUMAN MIGHT ARRIVE PRETTY SOON. UNDYNE HAS-  
* do you think humans are soft?  
where did that come from?  
SANS, STOP BEING CREEPY!  
* will try.  
SO, AS I WAS SAYING ABOUT UNDYNE,  
and then the human walks up to us.  
we do the usual spinning and unbelieving look thing.  
SANS,! OH MY GOD! IS THAT... A HUMAN!?  
* uhhh...  
* actually, i think that's a rock.  
YES OF COURSE THAT IS A ROCK- COME ON SANS, YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS, LOOK THERE! RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE ROCK!  
huh?  
* oh yeah, didn't notice that.  
* i guess we're off to a **rocky** start.  
SANS, DON'T BE WEIRD IN FRONT OF THE HUMAN!  
* already trying my best.  
(I KNOW, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.)  
BUT THAT MEANS I ALMOST HAVE IT. UNDYNE WILL... I'M GONNA... I'LL BE SO... POPULAR! POPULAR! POPULAR!  
... 'AHEM' HUMAN! YOU SHALL NOT PASS THIS AREA! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL STOP YOU! AND CAPTURE YOU! YOU WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE CAPITAL! THEN... THEN!  
papyrus glances at me.  
I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S NEXT. IN ANY CASE, CONTINUE ONLY... IF YOU DARE! NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!  
with that papyrus storms away.  
* that went well.  
* don't worry kid.  
* i'll be watching you.

* * *

with that the human made their way towards the next leg of their journey.  
putting the headphones back on i press play again.  
instrumental, can't really classify it.  
sounds weird.  
just like how i feel right now.  
i just stand there, enjoying the music in the light breeze.  
guess i should go head towards the electric maze.  
the music off again i shortcut behind papyrus.  
* heya bro.  
QUIET SANS, THE HUMAN MIGHT COME AROUND ANY SECOND! I HAVE TO PREPARE MY WELCOME MONOLOGUE!  
* but what about the traps?  
oops, that was a bit off script.  
THEY ARE OF COURSE CALIBRATED, JUST AS THEY SHOULD BE! AND STOP CALLING THEM ALL "HUMAN TRAPS"! THOSE ARE PUZZLES, WHICH IS FAR MORE SOPHISTICATED THAN MERE TRAPS! THEY ARE A DUEL OF WITS BETWEEN THE HUMAN AND ME! BECAUSE OF MY GREAT INTELLECT I WILL EASILY CAPTURE THEM WITH THIS!  
and we're completely off script again.  
no matter, i'll just wing it.  
* well you could just as easily lure them with some candy.  
OH GOD SANS! PHRASING! IF PEOPLE HEARD YOU THEY WOULD THINK THAT  
the human walks in on us  
YOU'RE SO CREEPY!  
YOU ALWAYS SAY STUFF LIKE THAT!  
* i just suggested that humans might like a bit of candy.  
EXCUSES, EXCUSES!  
papyrus notices the human and we turn around to face them.  
OH-HO!  
THE HUMAN ARRIVES!  
IN ORDER TO STOP YOU...  
I HAVE CREATED SOME PUZZLES WITH SOME HELP FROM MY BROTHER!  
I THINK YOU WILL FIND THIS ONE QUITE SHOCKING!  
FOR YOU SEE THIS IS THE INVISIBLE ELECTRICITY MAZE!  
WHEN YOU TOUCH THE WALLS OF THIS MAZE  
papyrus pulls the orb out of his pocket and holds it in his hand.  
THIS ORB WILL ADMINISTER A HEARTY ZAP!  
SOUND LIKE FUN? BECAUSE! THE AMOUNT OF FUN YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE, IS ACTUALLY RATHER SMALL I THINK.  
OK, YOU CAN GO AHEAD NOW.  
i take a look at the field that is the invisible electricity maze.  
pressure sensors are invisibly placed under the snow.  
if something triggers them they send a signal to the orb and electrify it.  
papyrus keeps talking about there being walls, but it's more abstract walls to him.  
the human takes a few steps forward and i invisibly make shortcut under my foot.  
activating the pressure plate papyrus receives a shocking surprise.  
SANS! WHAT DID YOU DO? !?  
* i think the human needs to hold the orb.  
OH, OKAY.  
with a smile he turns around to walk through the safe part of the maze.  
but as i think about how this would ruin the puzzle i have a giant headache.  
having learned my lesson i assume the local sans is unhappy with the idea.  
a sans who doesn't prank his papyrus?  
that's a first to say the least...  
* hey paps.  
WHAT IS IT?!  
* how about you just throw it over?  
* that's much quicker.  
GOOD THINKING SANS! HUMAN, CATCH!  
he throws the orb and it lands on the human's head.  
OKAY, TRY NOW!  
the human clumsily stumbles through the maze, touching down on the plates sometimes and being electrified.  
it is en-lightening to say the least.  
i can hear their little muscles spasm every time, smell burned hair and even hear faint sobs...  
it's actually kinda sickening.  
this humans is a pacifist.  
they don't deserve this much...  
i turn my headphones back on to drown out the noise...  
it's not really a happy song but not really sad either.  
the human keeps a stoic face while they struggle through it,  
"I won't take the easy road, oh-ho."  
yeah, you sure don't kid...  
walking through here, bearing a LV of only 1?  
it takes guts to walk the way of peace when the world wants you dead.  
i always respect those who choose the hard road.  
not that i ever chose it.  
i was just thrown into this maelstrom of an adventure.  
after some struggles the human drags themself out of the maze.  
INCREDIBLE! YOU SLIPPERY SNAIL! YOU SOLVED IT SO EASILY... TOO EASILY! HOWEVER!  
oh still got music on, can't understand a word of papyrus.  
pause it and take the headphones off.  
THE NEXT PUZZLE WILL NOT BE EASY! IT WAS DESIGNED BY MY BROTHER, SANS! YOU WILL SURELY BE CONFOUNDED. I KNOW I AM. NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!  
paps moonwalks off into the distance.  
the badly worn out human limps towards me.  
they give me an inquiring look.  
i give them the usual spiel about paps having fun and his battle body.  
the human looks really battered...  
they really should heal themself.  
* you wanna have some candy?  
i rummage through my pockets.  
only pastry wrappers.  
* i'd offer you a doughnut if i had one.  
* but i can't see any around.  
the human giggles.  
whatever the reason the human seems amused.  
fine by me.

* * *

i shortcut to my usual place "selling" fried snow.  
the human tries to buy some and i just chill.  
when i see the human walking towards the next puzzle i shortcut behind papyrus.  
what welcomes me is a bigger shock than the missing sentry station.  
it's a fully functional button puzzle.  
you know the one.  
you press a button and all lights surrounding the button toggle in their state.  
before i can ask anything, papyrus, who was just busy with his mobile, turns to the human.  
HUMAN! I HOPE YOU'RE READY FOR THE AMAZING ABILITIES OF MY BROTHER!  
the human start playing with the switches.  
i start listening to music again.  
it's a light music that sounds like stars in space.  
to this song the human just walking around looks rather dumb.  
they should be gracefully dancing between the switches.  
i close my eyes and tune out for a moment.  
just drifting in the void between stars.  
or what i think stars are.  
i get torn away from my serene blackness by papyrus.  
SANS! THE PUZZLE WAS FAR TO EASY! I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE A SLIDING TILE PUZZLE!  
* nah bro, i always preferred those toggle puzzles.  
yeah, as usual nothing can please him.  
BUT THE SLIDING PUZZLES ARE SO MUCH HARDER! WHAT DO YOU THINK HUMAN?  
they side with the sliding puzzles.  
HA! HA! YES! HUMANS MUST BE VERY INTELLIGENT IF THEY ALSO PREFER SLIDING PUZZLES! NYEH! HEH! HEH HEH!  
honestly?  
those are harder.  
but also harder to make.  
i imagine this one just flips random switches at the beginning.  
pretty easy to create.  
no recalibration to make new puzzles.  
it's pretty awesome now that i think of it.  
lazy and at the same time still decent.

* * *

now is a short lull, as always.  
i wait at the tile puzzle and prepare one of my more difficult spells.  
that was, difficult before i had ages to perfect it.  
i create a bone magic construct.  
concentrate to get the anatomy right.  
and presto, copy sans.  
of course it's not really another me.  
the only reason i do this at all is to have a good jump on the human.  
watching out for them while also keeping an eye on papyrus.  
well, that used to be reason.  
way back when.  
now i do it out of routine.  
before i wrap the sans-ulacrum in shortcuts it needs to get dressed.  
i reach back in my closet and pull out some clothes for it to put on and shortcut them onto it.  
looking at the clothed doppelganger is even weirder than usual.  
the clothes make him seem so... adult.  
i notice the headphones are still on my head.  
the music is off, so i pull them down around my neck.  
the copy doesn't have them.  
i hear papyrus coming near.  
split second decision.  
i keep the headphones on and the copy goes without.  
papyrus would more likely notice them missing.  
my copy at its place behind the spikes.  
i shortcut to behind the tiles and move to my position.  
papyrus runs over the tiles.  
SANS! YOU HAVE TO CHECK THE COMPUTER BEFORE THE HUMAN...  
gets over here, didn't talk to my copy.  
i shortcut my copy to my room and dispel it.  
i think about what usually happens with the tile puzzle.  
headache.  
as i thought.  
IT'S THE HUMAN!  
* (paps, i'll check the computer, you explain the puzzle)  
(OKAY)  
YOU'RE GONNA LOVE THIS PUZZLE!  
mettaton playing computer just sits there.  
* (be honest, do you even have a puzzle?)  
silence.  
* (be like that, i'll just code.)  
i shortcut a keyboard and miniature holographic projector to me.  
i've seen the way this works a thousand times.  
i've looked at the source code of alphys.  
she made the bulk of the hard and software to run this.  
but usually mettaton designed the tile puzzles.  
alphys was far too busy with the amalgamates.  
or, at least in those where i looked into it.  
might be more alternatives out there.  
but this time i can just unrig it.  
i have the knowledge to do it.  
only need to code very fast.  
i press play on the headphones and coding music starts.  
i open a simple text editor.  
the output expects a pointer to a six by eight byte array.  
random function to assign each byte a random value.  
so, now that it's randomized, i just need to find a way through it.  
recursive?  
yeah.  
check if passable...  
red returns false.  
yellow returns false.  
need the scent.  
adding a boolean and setting it false.  
if the scent is true and the tile is blue, returns false.  
if the tile is blue, if any of the adjoined tiles is yellow, return false.  
for current coordinates queue every reachable tile.  
i have to kill endless loops...  
but how do i save the coordinates?  
and what about the scent?  
hm...  
maybe make the scent part of the function?  
yeah.  
add two more six by eight arrays but make them bool.  
then check if coordinates are already checked in the scented array.  
if not, set true and continue, if they already are, return false.  
oh yeah, have to make special checks for orange and purple.  
make it call the orange scented recursion in orange.  
and for purple... urgh.  
i need the direction where we came from...  
no need to be efficient.  
i'll just throw the origin coordinates in there as well.  
good.  
now instead of checking all of the other directions call the lemon recursion on the next one.  
how?  
current coordinates minus old coordinates should give the direction.  
then add those to the current and recurse from there.  
and return true if any of the recursion return true.  
okay, what is missing?  
ah yes, exit.  
should return true if the human reaches the right side of the tiles.  
putting it before the recurse.  
if the current x coordinate is 7 return true.  
well, except for all the way at the top.  
make it that y is not 0.  
okay.  
wait what if there is a way to get stuck?  
like a single orange tile that can't be undone?  
how...  
the human starts at position 0 3.  
let's make it orange by default.  
should make it so that every maze is solvable,  
i look over the code.  
goddamit.  
did i forget anything?  
maybe no green tiles?  
yeah, scratch those for now.  
i've got no idea what kind of monster the human would fight.  
but with my luck it would be papyrus.  
last check.  
looks good.  
compiling.  
printing test random maze.  
checking by hand.  
solvable.  
piping the output to the tile field generator.  
once paps pulls the switch, it will replace the one mettaton gives us with a truly random one.  
i turn the music off and make way for papyrus.  
papyrus steps up to the computer.  
WHEN I PULL THIS SWITCH, IT WILL MAKE A PUZZLE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE! NOT EVEN I WILL KNOW THE SOLUTION! NYEH HEH HEH!  
the computer whirrs to life and outputs a maze.  
* (hope you didn't wait too long)  
(WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I JUST FINISHED MY EXPLANATIONS!)  
* (okay, good)  
bullshit.  
i did not just code this whole thing while paps explained the tiles?  
this is a bit much for me.  
i need to unwind.  
* (paps, is it okay if i go ahead and build a snowman?)  
(OF COURSE SANS! I WILL JOIN YOU SHORTLY)  
with that i walk out of the room and shortcut to the snowmen.

* * *

i put the headphones on again.  
a slow beat.  
sad.  
i begin building a snow human.  
this world is so weird.  
the torso is a big lump of snow.  
the scrapbooks are not like usual.  
i give the snowman a head.  
papyrus is not on about the laziness.  
i could make it look like the human...  
and then the strange clothes.  
the torso shrink as i discard the snow.  
all the puzzles not being just punchlines...  
head is on there and it has legs and arms.  
what is it with the missing sentry station?  
maybe i can make them dance?  
there is something i'm missing.  
the snow human dances for me so pretty.  
HELLO SANS, THAT IS A REALLY NICE SNOWMAN YOU'VE BUILT.  
oh, it's papyrus.  
* yeah, i've-  
that face.  
the look.  
i've seen it before.  
it is my look.  
when i see papyrus being adorably stupid.  
it's the look of someone who is responsible.  
not papyrus.  
that is not something a papyrus should have.  
he shouldn't need to be responsible.  
that is my job.  
oh god.  
the snowman collapses.  
SANS ARE YOU ALRIGHT?  
i run towards him and grab him at the battle body.  
* papyrus... what have i done to you.  
CALM DOWN SANS! YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! I APOLOGISE IF I MADE YOU FEEL LIKE THAT! DO YOU NEED TO GO HOME? I THINK-  
i scream.  
i run and scream, shortcut to the lab and slump on my chair.  
oh god.  
what is this world...  
what is with my head...  
i can feel it...  
my thoughts.. they run through my fingers like water...  
i can barely stay coherent...  
it jumps and stops...  
my greatest tool...  
useless...  
i shouldn't be this... this helpless...  
oh god...  
i can't...  
* Sans! What is going on?!  
asriel had followed me.  
* nothing...  
* Doesn't look like nothing. Talk about it.  
* what's the point?  
* The point is that I care for you.  
* doesn't matter. this sans is useless, i am useless...  
* Oh god, this is... shit. You stay here and relax try to take your mind off of those thoughts. I'll try and salvage this run.  
with that he is gone.  
i numbly sit on the chair.  
time feels like molasses as it slowly passes.  
at one point i can't even sit anymore.  
idly i waste away the time that i'm granted in this world.  
doing nothing but walking in circles...  
at one point i fall back in my mind.  
i'm lost to the world forgetting that there even is one.

* * *

i stand on the wall of new home.  
all is in flames.  
i look down.  
it's my usual hoodie.  
* this was my world.  
a voice speaks next to me.  
it's sans.  
he is wearing what i just wore.  
* until you came and burned it all down.  
* what are you talking about.  
he turns to me.  
eyes filled with rage.  
* i didn't have a breakdown in YEARS.  
* what-  
he points towards the horizon, towards the skyscrapers.  
* you just threw all that work away! they'll think i'm back to my old self! and all because you couldn't handle reality.  
he turns to the skyline.  
i can see that tears are running down his face.  
* all i want is-  
i get yanked out of the city.  
back in sans' lab asriel is shaking my shoulder.  
he wears... a shirt and the coat i had on?  
what is going on here?  
* Hey, get a grip, I've got to bring you and your body up to speed since we'll get booted from this universe in the next hour or so.

* * *

boring stuff  
This one took longer than expected, used the February to wrap up a role playing campaign that ran for 3 years. Kinda broke my heart to burn the character sheets of those I mercilessly sacrificed to the gods of storytelling. But more in the finality than the character deaths. I'll miss the GM seat...

I don't want to mimic the "tortured artist" here but the whole arc will be, in great parts, how I experience the world.  
I suffer from ADHD and while I am at times the quirky kind of person you see when television portrays my kind, with the being happy and bouncing around and being random, a great part of life is serious and I've never seen an accurate depiction of how that part looks like, so I'll try to do that with this arc.  
This Sans suffers from it as well, a magical version that is more like a permanent spell.  
I call the AU Squirreltale because squirrels and bad puns are the perfect combo.  
Once this arc is over I'll probably do some more stories with him but more on the fun-loving end of ADHD.  
/boring stuff

So, as usual here is your commentary:

At 8 hours per run and usually 2 runs until pacifist is reached, except in 20% of the cases where someone manages a pacifist with the right ending on the first try, 50 universes equals about a month in real time. That means that 600 universes is about a year.

The evidence he usually checks for are from easy to hard to find:  
Proposal ring.  
ID card to enter Alphys' lab.  
Whether Alphys didn't tell the underground the fallen down monsters are still alive.  
The 22nd log entry.  
He usually just checks the ring and if it is there assumes Alice and if not, Basic.

Again I use Sans' established powers multiple times to explain what he does by using them in creative ways.  
The whole "shadow" thing was actually really hard to explain since I needed a material that absorbs most light and not a source of darkness. So I just went with a really dark rock.  
The "lamp" thing always bothered me. Everybody always plays it for the laughs and takes it at face value. Instead of going down that road I decided to take it serious and just have sans use his space warping powers to hide the human in plain sight.

Okay, this might need a bit of defence on my part but, Squirreltale Sans often sounds... creepy. But, that is all, the text is chosen to SOUND creepy while the intentions are pure. Now excuse me while I do perfectly normal non creepy things.

As you can see, I've changed the puzzles to be actual puzzles and challenging in Squirreltale.  
The electric maze would be cruel if we didn't know the solution. Trial and error and every error is a painful shock.  
Those push the button and lights change puzzles are actually simple once you know that pressing a button twice is the same as not pressing it. Plus, I love those puzzles.  
The main reason I did this was for the tile puzzle since I thought to myself, making a random maze generator shouldn't be too hard. The whole coding section was done in "real time" as in, I tried to think of an algorithm that might be used to create and check such puzzles if they can be solved while i wrote the text. While I think I got it right I'd have to actually implement it and then check if it returns something wrong. Tell me if you think you found an error. It does take more than the 2 minutes Papyrus talks but sans can do it because of something special.

The songs he listens to are actually the result of me hitting shuffle on my mobile and then reacting to them like if I was Sans. I'll put the Songs here for reference and a bit of story behind them. And yes, I am aware that some of them do seem to run longer than the elapsed time in reality, just, bear with me.

Engrish Bwudd - Man Man  
He hears this when he first starts to read.  
A friend of mine chose this as the theme of their roleplaying character's nemesis, I liked it, sounds kinda circusy.

Fourth Floor - Cities Last Broadcast  
First song after he stops reading, skips it quickly since he isn't in the mood for it.  
I listen to The Humming Tape by Cities Last Broadcast when writing on Eldertale.

Ridicoulousness - Kyteman Orchestra  
This is the song he listens to directly after, where he stands up and gets lost in his imagination.  
I love Kyteman, but sadly he isn't that well known. This song is my personal theme for Deep!Sans, at least until Kyteman covers the Undertale soundtrack. And yes, I actually got it through shuffle, I love my mobile for that.

Make it Rain - Tom Waits  
After the encounter with the human.  
My girlfriend played that in the background while I was revisiting the scene, thought it was fitting.

Cordes Discords - Cosmic Analog Ensemble  
Before going to the Electric maze.  
One of the few failures of the experimental writing style. It's from the Tiny & Big Soundtrack.

My silver lining - First aid kid  
During the sequence where the human struggles through the electric maze.  
For those of you not aware, this is the end credits song from "Tales from the borderlands" episode 5. And yes, that is why I have it on my mobile. And again, yes, I got a halfway fitting music piece through shuffle.

Endless Story About Sun and Moon - Kai Engel  
While the human solves the button puzzle.  
Nothing much to say about this song except that, if I weren't so lazy it wouldn't be in this list. I am not a big fan of most of the songs Kai Engel writes and recently decided, I should clean up my playlist but, since am lazy, i didn't do it yet.

Starshine - Gorillaz  
Directly before the big breakdown.  
This... whoa this song is connected to a LOT of memories... none happy, all dear to me. Going back about a DECADE? Whoa I am OLD. I could tell you more about that but, it's rather long and, well, not for here. I might adapt it to a Squirreltale chapter though. I could not have chosen a better song to play right then myself...

And yes, boy scout Asriel says shit, this is NOT a typo. He just found the person he cares about the most in a state of absolute misery. Unlike anything he ever saw before.


	8. Determination

Sequence 1.5: Determination

I am in Home.  
The human just fell, I could feel their impact on the flower bed.  
Not much time to waste, I've got a villain to play.  
I dive with my mind in the ground, the flower I possessed retracting without me to keep it stable.  
I glide under the earth towards my destination and resurface, a flower body sprouting for me to inhabit.  
The human comes inside and I greet them like I always do, with bullets.  
Nothing unusual, they listen to me, get hit and I take a dramatic dive when mum attacks.  
Out of sight I use the strange power of the "inventory", selecting my cell phone and dialling Papyrus' number.  
* heya.  
* Howdy, they got hit, and listened intently.  
* nice.  
* So, which universe is it?  
* let me look.  
The ring probably isn't on the table, he rally should have been more tidy.  
* Okay, so search in the drawers, call me back, it's showtime.  
I hang up and make a short visit to the welcome candy room to get a piece of monster candy.  
I ponder whether I should just eat it or store it in the strange space of my "Inventory".  
After a few moments I just pick it up and eat it, topping off my HP, no sense in taking risks.  
The card says "Take one" in Mum's beautiful cursive writing that is kinda hard to read.  
It hurts when mum attacks me.  
Not just physically, but also emotionally.  
I smile.  
It feels good to hurt.  
But also to know that she doesn't want to hurt me, only stop me from hurting others.  
Back before we ended up like... this, Chara and me once got trapped behind a huge pile of rubble.  
Mum melted it down to get us out of there.  
I think Dad helped her... but that was long ago, so I don't know if I remember it right.  
But every time I see her throw fire magic around, it's a warm breeze compared to that.  
Done with the reminiscing I follow the human, stalking them throughout the Ruins.  
I make sure to stay barely out of sight and disappear underground when they approach.  
While I can use all the yellow flowers down here as extension of myself, they don't have eyes or ears.  
Because of that, I have to be physically there in my flower body to watch and listen to them.  
It gets boring, just waiting there, watching the human, but if I don't, then we might let one of those murder-y things loose on mum.  
But for that we work together, I scout and broface dunks the human.  
Still wishing he would let me join him in the fight.  
I understand he only wants to protect me, he always cared about me.  
He only had to use my help five times in the time we've been travelling here.  
And, golly gosh, it hurts so much to see him die again.  
I dive back underground and stalk them through the Ruins, watching their progress.  
Chara is better at it but I can also read the human, they seem to be a new one, too scared to take a monster candy, stumbling at every corner, not acting the right way right away and having problems with the switch room.  
They never fight, only ever acting to spare the monsters that ambush them, never running away but boy, they take their time.  
I'm fighting the boredom a bit by having smalltalk with the monsters in the ruins.  
Nothing ground breaking, of course, but it's nice to actually find the differences in personality.  
I went insane when it was always the same, the constant change staves that off a bit, but more than that it's Chara who keeps me clearheaded.  
Having someone to talk to makes a huge difference, even if I sometimes worry about bro, he never really talks about it, but I believe he's spent a lot more time jumping around than I did stuck in my one universe.  
If he didn't find me those hundred thousand universes ago he might've lost himself worse than I did...  
When the human enters Mum's house I can't follow them without being suspicious, so I sit in my usual spot behind the exit that leads to Snowdin, waiting for them.  
Having the first bit of free time in this universe and nothing better to do I check my inventory.  
A bicicle, two bags of soil end-green and a bottle of peach ice tea.  
Nothing out of the usual.  
I can feel something is moving through the house, so I take a quick peek.  
Mum is running towards the bed of flowers in the ruins and the pacifist human step out of the door.  
I call Chara again.  
* ... heya.  
He sounds a bit distracted, must be busy with one of his projects, better keep it short.  
* Howdy, well, the human is a pacifist and just spared Mum.  
* good, i'll get to my post.  
* Good. And which universe is it?  
* basic as far as i can tell.  
* Okay, see ya at the end.  
He hangs up.  
Somehow he sounds a bit off this time.  
I better keep my eyes on him, the last time strange things happened, it ended in dust.

* * *

It was certainly the right decision to watch the human.  
I stay a bit back and watch their progress.  
This is definitely not Basic, but this ain't Alice either.  
Chara is definitely off as well.  
After the human already left the lamp, he just puts those strange headphones on for a few seconds before doing anything, upturning his palms for some reason.  
I can't get that close to him again until he was at the electric maze and boy, that is the most grim expression I've seen him wear since we've begun jumping through the multiverse.  
Then there is that strange button puzzle, during which he at one point closes his eyes, raises his arms and begins swaying.  
It goes as usual, though he does something unusual before the tile puzzle, he goes up there and looks lost to this world just staring at the flickering projector in front of him.  
When he puts the headphones down something shocks him, but I've got no idea what since they're whispering.  
Holding a hand to his head he goes before the human even starts with the tile puzzle.  
I think for a moment that I could follow him, but before I can move something even more unusual happens.  
I'M SORRY TO LEAVE YOU HERE WITH THIS HARD PUZZLE HUMAN, BUT I'M WORRIED ABOUT MY BROTHER! I'LL SEE IF HE'S OKAY AND WILL BE RIGHT BACK!  
With that Papyrus leaves the human who trues to get to the other side of the tile maze.  
I've got no idea where they disappeared to so maybe I should start with-  
* NO NO NO NO NO NO!  
That is Chara!  
I dive into the ground and resurface where I guess they should be, at the snowmen.  
But all I can see is Papyrus.  
* Howdy, Papyrus,  
OH, HELLO FLOWERY FRIEND! EXCUSE ME BUT I DON'T HAVE TIME, SOMETHING IS UP WITH SANS! I HAVE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS OKAY WITH HIM, THE HUMAN HAS TO WAIT!  
Oh no, this could derail the whole plot.  
* Don't you worry about Sans, my friend, I'll look after him.  
I give Papyrus my best smile.  
* We can't have the human running around here unsupervised, can we?  
YOU'RE RIGHT! WHO KNOWS WHAT THE HUMAN WILL DO? AND THANK YOU FOR OFFERING TO LOOK AFTER HIM! JUST KEEP HIM COMPANY UNTIL I HAVE CAPTURED THE HUMAN!  
He kneels down and smiles at me.  
YOU'RE A GOOD FRIEND, FLOWEY.  
* Nah, I'm just concerned as well.  
YOU'RE ALWAYS SO FUNNY. NYEH HEH HEH!  
I wave Papyrus until he's gone and then jump to Chara.  
If this were regular old me, I'd jump at the chance to dust Sans.  
But this is the new me, with a Soul, and I'd never dust Chara anyway.  
I pull the soul that Chara made for me from wherever it is when I'm not using it.  
My body morphs into my true form.  
I'll be forever grateful for this second chance.  
And I'll do whatever I can.  
He stirs when I materialise but doesn't really react, sitting slumped down at his workbench, head resting on the table, a huge pile of dice next to him him.  
* Chara! What is going on?!  
He turns his head, towards me, stopping with the sorting, the die still i his hand  
* nothing...  
* Doesn't look like nothing. Talk about it.  
He doesn't even look me in the eyes, rolling the die between his fingers. I don't think he even realises that he's doing that.  
* what's the point?  
He turns back to the pile of dice and continues sorting them. It really hurts seeing Chara like that.  
* The point is that I care for you.  
* doesn't matter. this sans is useless, i am useless...  
No...  
NO!  
* Oh god, this is... shit.  
Bad bad bad.  
Breathe!  
* You stay here and relax try to take your mind off of those thoughts.  
I need to stay calm...  
* I'll try and salvage this run.  
Because I will not let you into that darkness without a fight.

* * *

I jump into Chara's room.  
Okay, good thing we had an emergency plan for that...  
 _* today we're training for an emergency we hopefully won't encounter._ _  
* Okay Chara, what is it?  
_ _* i die in a pacifist run._ _  
* Simple, I trick dad into giving me the souls and force a reset.  
_ _* that might work, now what if you can't reset for some reason?_ _  
* I... have no idea.  
_ _* you replace me._  
Step one, getting a set of his clothes.  
It is after the tile puzzle so... the clothes his copy were wearing lie on the floor, should be accurate.  
Step two, changing shapes into him.  
I concentrate on my soul. When not in my body it feels... soft and malleable.  
A push here, a squeeze there and after a few moments I'm done.  
I pull the soul towards me and instead of my usual form I come out thinner, no fur and a tiny bit taller.  
Getting this trick down was hard, we needed about three hundred loops of Mettaton tutoring me in shape changing before the result was something other than garbled heap of meat. Chara taught me how to create shortcuts, though right now I can only make them while I inhabit a copy of his body. Another thousand or so loops later I finally got good enough that we had a test run.  
Chara stayed in the background while I did all the Sans things from start to finish. After a few runs I could do it flawlessly. We also did some Alice me runs.  
But here I'm on new land.  
Fully clothed and ready for action I prepare for step three, resuming the timeline.  
Papyrus should be at the gauntlet right now, so I try a simple shortcut to there.  
I arrive at the border to Snowdin, behind the sign.  
A few steps carry me toward the gauntlet where Papyrus is already waiting.  
THERE YOU ARE SANS! ARE YOU DOING ALRIGHT?  
Okay, now for my best Sans impression.  
* yeah paps, was just overwhelmed for a moment.  
Oh, can't forget to pun on occasion!  
* and thank you for sending flowers.  
WHEW, I'M RELIEVED TO HEAR THAT! NOW, LET'S CHALLENGE THE HUMAN WITH THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!  
The human walks over the bridge towards us.  
HUMAN! THIS IS YOUR FINAL AND MOST DANGEROUS CHALLENGE! BEHOLD! THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!  
On cue the gauntlet starts it setup, but what emerges is complete overkill.  
Automated turrets with all kinds of ammunition, liquid projectors, electric coils and even small scale artillery manned by the little dog that always annoys Papyrus.  
If this thing goes off the human won't survive.  
WHEN I SAY THE WORD, IT WILL FULLY ACTIVATE! MORTARS WILL FIRE! TURRETS WILL SHOOT! COILS WILL SHOCK! EACH PART WILL FILL THE AIR WITH HAZARDS! ONLY THE TINIEST CHANCE OF VICTORY WILL REMAIN! ARE YOU READY!? BECAUSE! I! AM! ABOUT! TO DO IT!  
We all stand there in awkward silence for a few seconds.  
* well?  
* what's the holdup?  
Papyrus looks at me indignantly.  
HOLDUP!? WHAT HOLDUP!? I'M... I'M ABOUT TO ACTIVATE IT NOW!  
Again, awkward silence.  
* that, uh, doesn't look very activated.  
WELL! THIS CHALLENGE! IT SEEMS...  
He looks at me with a thoughtful look.  
A BIT MORE EXTREME THAN I ANTICIPATED.  
He pauses for a second.  
YEAH! WE CAN'T USE THIS ONE! I AM A SKELETON WITH STANDARDS!  
MY PUZZLES ARE VERY FAIR!  
The human chuckles at that.  
AND MY TRAPS ARE EXPERTLY COOKED!  
BUT THIS METHOD IS TOO ONE-SIDED! NO SPORTSMANSHIP!  
AWAY IT GOES!  
Papyrus turns around and exhales relieved but then remembers the human.  
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!? THIS WAS ANOTHER DECISIVE VICTORY FOR PAPYRUS! NYEH! HEH! ... HEH?  
With that Papyrus runs towards his house, though since he doesn't think that "Sans" is in any kind of trouble he won't be looking for him.  
I'm a bit rusty in my Sans impression but I can squeak by... I hope.

* * *

After the fight between Papyrus and the human starts I take a quick shortcut to look after Chara.  
He is still sitting there, sorting an ever growing mountain of dice, locked in, and aside from me and him, nobody here can teleport in anyway, so he should be getting some time to collect himself.  
It will take the human a few minutes to get past papyrus, especially if they go on that strange "date".  
I should confiscate anything sharp and pointy from the house.  
Since the shortcuts are actually rather exhausting, I opt to walk.  
Chara must have spent ages to master it to the degree where he can casually use it, or it has to do with his soul.  
I find table knifes, a corkscrew and scissors from the kitchen.  
Knock on the bathroom door, no response, I go inside and check the sink and shower for razor blades, nothing.  
A quick tour through Papyrus gives nothing and in Chara's rooms I find a single worn dull dagger and a whetstone in under the mattress.  
I dump them together on the ground and put them in my inventory under "Heap of pointy things".  
That's pretty much the only place where Chara can't get to something.  
That won't stop Chara from hurting himself if he is determined, but maybe delay him long enough that he regains composure some composure, if he actually snaps.  
I can hear Papyrus running in front of the house, that means the fight is over and it's still a pacifist.  
I shortcut to the place where the waterfall sentry station is usually located.  
In its place is a table with a chair behind it, a banner saying "sentry station" written in a very crude way and Rufus sitting eagerly behind it with a badge pinned to his chest that reads "Waterfall Sentry Extraordinaire".  
Apparently, in this universe he did the same as Papyrus and badgered Undyne until she let him join as a sentry.  
So, that bit of script is out of the window as well, so I just stand in the corner and hope the human doesn't speak to me.  
And what is the first thing the human does when they enter Waterfall?  
Chat it up with me.  
I just give them the usual script and take them to Grillby's where the lunch date goes as usual.  
After it's done, I have a look at Chara.  
He's still barely reacting to anything.  
Most of the table is by now covered in sorted dice groups and the heap of unsorted ones is getting pretty small.  
I should get him something nice, maybe a good cocoa.  
Since the fridge here does contain nothing but bones and the dog, I have to go to New Home for that.  
But first I should make sure that I don't lose track of the human.  
I shortcut towards Waterfall and have a peek inside.  
Rufus is still setting at the sentry station, so, I think the human has not met Undyne yet.  
I take a look back and see that Papyrus is not standing there, so they probably have their date right now.  
I wait in Chara's room until I hear the dog running outside and play the trombone.  
Now I have a few minutes to go shopping.  
I shortcut to the city wall and look down.  
New Home is one of the few places that can change drastically in between universes.  
Sometimes there really are only one hundred or so monsters, sometimes there are thousands.  
But usually it's around four hundred.  
This time it is a larger one, maybe even more than a thousand.  
It's quite extensive and could take more time than I can spare right now.  
Luckily I spot a delicacy shop pretty fast.  
A few moments later I enter it through the front door, where a small bell announces my arrival.  
A humanoid monster exits the back of the shop.  
"Welcome to O's delicacies what can I do for, hey Sans".  
They have green eyes, are about as tall as I am right now, medium long brown hair and the name tag at their brown leather apron says 'Ace Spade'.  
I've never met them before, but apparently this version is a friend of Sans.  
* hey ace, what's up?  
"Ah, nothing much, with you?"  
* same, same.  
"So, what are you doing?"  
They rest their arms on the counter and wink at me.  
"Aside from creeping on little girls."  
Are they...  
Is SHE flirting with me?  
Oh god, what the heck is with this world?  
Now, think, what would Chara say in this...  
Oh yeah.  
* you're not that little.  
She giggles.  
"Now, what brings you here? Does the missus want more Coffee?"  
* nah, am looking for cocoa powder and milk.  
She stretches and looks at the shelves behind her, taking a box from them.  
After that she checks the refrigerator and shakes her head.  
"I've got some cocoa, 80%, but I'll have to look if we still got some milk."  
With that she makes her way to the back of the shop.  
It has been thousands of loops since I've last been in New Home.  
Usually, when broface and I have some time to spare, we train together or hang out.  
When I go solo I try to avoid New Home, it's not that anyone here would recognise me as either a flower or a boss monster.  
It just has too many bad memories for me back from my Flowey days attached.  
I take a longer look around the shop.  
On the shelves are many things I've never seen before, PeachIceTea, LOVECookies, AppleLiquor.  
But that doesn't really surprise me, the further you get from the human the more things can change per universe, but unless we want to doom the other people living in the universe, we can't really take a vacation... more than once ever hundred or so loops.  
I hear foot steps coming from the behind the counter, looks like Ace was successful in her search.  
"You're lucky, I thought Maya bought the last carton but we still had one in the back."  
* thanks, what do i owe ya?  
"Milk and cocoa makes... 25G,"  
I get 25G from the Inventory and give them to her.  
"And say hello to the missus from me."  
She hands me a bag with the milk and cocoa in it.  
* will do, see ya.  
As I turn around a tall pale monsters walks through the entrance of the shop.  
They are almost as white as a skeleton, but seem to possess skin; they're really tall, about as tall as dad though a bit shorter; a fine black line indicates where their mouth is and on their head is slicked back black hair.  
They are dressed in dark jeans, a white buttoned shirt and carry a black blazer under their arm.  
* Greetings Sans.  
They smile a warm, welcoming smile towards me, so I guess they're at least acquainted with Sans.  
I return the smile as genuinely as I can.  
* heya.  
They look at me for a moment.  
Was that a hint of suspicion in their eyes?  
Did they notice I'm not the real Sans?  
"Dad! I was worried! Where were you?"  
I take that as my cue to leave.  
* Visiting some acquaintances of mine.  
With a shortcut I get back to the lab.  
Chara has started to build pyramids out of the sorted dice, using their colour in some strange pattern.  
I get a cup and start to make Chara a nice cocoa.  
When I put it down on the table, I take a quick glance at his face.  
He absently stares in the distance, like a million worlds away.  
I hope the cocoa will cheer him up.  
At least he doesn't do anything stupid, but I should get back to being Sans.

* * *

I play along throughout waterfall, always an eye out on the human, but doing this solo as "Sans" is always a chore, especially pacifists, we can't mess those up.  
If the Human isn't pacifist we don't really bother keeping track of them and only do what we have to.  
I've adopted Chara's "Training, Research or Fun" approach, though, in my case research is really just cracking down on the science books that are in the Core.  
Training means that I try to master a new kind of magic, which at the moment is trying to get shortcuts to work even when not in this body.  
But I guess that training is suspended for now.  
Not much to do here except to play along.  
It's not even that important for getting the human to dad.  
Aside from the Ruins and Snowdin there is only influencing Papyrus to call everyone.  
But if Chara doesn't does this, then the Sans of this world might get in a tight spot.  
So, we do this out of kindness.  
Or maybe because Chara is kinda damaged in the head and doesn't see fixing the runs in a different way as an alternative...  
Yeah, he was pretty battered when we met the in the throne room after I dusted dad.  
Like he has been through hell for eternity...  
*shudder*  
I better observe the whole run and give bro an update when he's... calmed down.  
Waterfall is pretty uneventful, I buy a nice cream for Chara, do the usual pranks.  
Rufus is going with the human through Waterfall, talking and being adorably clumsy.  
It is kinda cute how he is in this world.  
Just like Papyrus, he wants to prove himself to Undyne.  
To that effort he has built a few human traps in Waterfall.  
He always shows the human how they work, Undyne activates them, getting tapped in them and that gives the human a chance to run.  
It's actually quite amusing.  
Instead of Papyrus being always the butt of the joke, it's Undyne the great and mighty warrior.  
It cumulates in the bridge scene where Rufus now gets caught in his own trap and the human has the choice to run or help Rufus out.  
They quickly pull the lever that disables the spring-loaded circular saw blade.  
Before I can look after Chara, I've got one last stop just beyond Waterfall.  
Hotland sentry station in the Undyne chase.  
I approach the sentry station.  
If Chara isn't in charge here as well, I wonder.  
* Fuhuhuhu~  
* Hello there~  
Apparently... Muffet?  
She sits behind her bakesale table, still offering some of the pastries while being sentry.  
* heya.  
I walk up to her, having a look at the pastries.  
While I stand in front of the table, her smile slowly falters.  
Something is bothering her?  
* what's the matter?  
I'm caught in strands of spider silk before I can even react.  
* Now here deary~  
She puts a kettle with water on the ground and pulls a box with black powder and some filters from under the table.  
* You're clearly not Sans~  
She pours the black powder in the filter.  
* You'll have until my coffee is done to explain what you've done with my boyfriend.

* * *

I stand there, dumbfounded and stuck in the silk.  
* errr... what?  
* My boyfriend.  
* About your height, manic grin, a huge dingus.  
The water in the kettle slowly starts heating up.  
* But certainly not you.  
I... didn't expect her to see through this.  
It even fooled Papyrus.  
* i promise you he's not hurt.  
* That doesn't answer my question~  
She frowns. Her eyes wander towards the cettle.  
* 2 minutes left deary~  
* You better hurry explaining.  
* So let me ask again deary.  
She leans forward.  
* What. Happened. To. My. Boyfriend?  
Okay... that was... protocol... uh... something?  
Goddamn Chara and his stupid plan code names.  
* okay, you got me, but we have only about twenty seconds before a human and undyne run through here and the future of the underground depends on the fact that they don't know that i'm not sans.  
* What...  
Footsteps, crap.  
I shortcut out of the web to Muffet's side.  
* here they come act natural.  
* Uh...  
The human runs past us, waving.  
I wave back.  
Muffet looks a bit confused.  
Undyne comes running, but changes course when she sees us.  
* Sentry Muffet! I thought I made it clear, no hanky panky during duty!  
* Yes Ma'am...  
I point direction Alphys' lab.  
* human, that direction?  
* ARRRRGH! Right!  
With that she storms off.  
Muffet traps me again with spider silk.  
* 90 seconds~ Better hurry.  
A steaming Undyne stomps past us, not really paying attention to us.  
The human jumps into the boat of River, leaving us alone.  
Okay seems I've got to pull off protocol whatever.  
Shattered mask! That is how Chara calls it!  
So, now time to impress, after all, being impressive is 90% of the whole deal.  
I push my soul back, let it reform to standard with a few small adjustments so my body ages a bit, growing into Chara's clothes and pull it back within the fraction of a second.  
* Sorry to let you wait, but that everything goes according to plan is of the utmost importance. Now to introduced myself.  
I burn through the spider silk with ease, dusting the soot off the clothes and step towards her, hand outstretched and smiling warmly.  
* My name is Lou Cypher and I'm in charge of timeline corrections while my brother is off duty.  
She doesn't look that impressed but shakes my hand nonetheless.  
* Nice to meet you~ And who is your brother?  
I lean on the counter, giving her a smile.  
* The mind currently inhabiting the body of Sans in this timeline.  
* Hm, so, what is he called, your brother?  
We... yeah, we never really thought this one through...  
* Oh...  
She gives me a grin.  
* O? That is a silly name~  
So, want to tease me?  
* Yeah, I know, he actually chose it just for this really bad gag.  
Muffets grin dies and is replaced by surprise.  
* ... you have to be kidding me.  
* I wish, there is a reason why my brother can pass as Sans after all.  
It is what Chara would have wanted...  
Making me look like an idiot in conversations.  
* So, you still have a minute~  
Okay, now to gain control of the flow of the conversation.  
I pick up the kettle, heating the content to boiling point and pouring it into the filter.  
* No offence, Muffet, I have all the time I want. But to answer your question, your boyfriend's body is currently sitting in his laboratory after a mental breakdown of some sort.  
She looks Horrified.  
* Oh no...  
I pour her and me a cup of coffee.  
* I'm sorry about that, but that is why I'm busy to act as him for now.  
I think I still have milk in my Inventory.  
I pull it out and offer it to Muffet, but she declines.  
* It wasn't his fault, to be honest. My brother is inhabiting his head and the strain apparently caused a psychotic episode.  
All those loops of talking people into doing stuff finally pay off.  
* Is he...  
* As I said, he's unharmed but sadly unable to play his role in this universe.  
She throws a hollow look into the coffee cup after drinking half of it in one go.  
* But no worries, once the barrier is open, he will most likely return to normal.  
* THE BARRIER WILL OPEN!?  
Ooops...  
* Yes, now you see why I have to play Sans.  
I drink a bit off the coffee.  
It's a rush job, but I didn't really have time.  
* Because this is the most important day in years and he has a big role to play.  
She is overwhelmed by all of that and just sips on her coffee.  
* Now, if I may ask, what gave me away?  
* Huh?  
* I still have to play my part as Sans, so, if you could help me that would make my job easier.  
* Oh okay.  
Another sip of coffee.  
* The Headphones are missing, he never leaves the house without them.  
Can't get those, Chara still wears them.  
* You slouch a bit much, for one thing, he stopped slouching years ago.  
* You also stand too still, his hands are always in motion.  
* Then there is the fact that you didn't try to grab my ass-  
WHAT?  
* Language, please.  
* My bottom as soon as you came within reach of me, or rather most of your behaviour towards me.  
She shoots me a glare.  
* But I swear, I will end you if you try doing ANY of that.  
* Wouldn't think of it. Any other tips?  
She thinks about that for a moment.  
* Avoid masses of people and look in a bad mood when many are around.  
She gives me a longer look.  
* But honestly? Most people won't notice it anyway.  
She stares into her cup again.  
* Just, don't be too obvious and you should pass for him.  
* Thank you Muffet.  
I empty my coffee cup in one go.  
* And before I forget it, if you tell a single soul what happened here, there will be dire consequences.  
She gives me an angry look.  
* How do you mean that.  
I shrug and make my way towards Waterfall.  
* If anybody believes you, everyone will think that Sans had a mental breakdown that incapacitated him for hours instead of it being a short lapse.  
She obviously cares for him and the mental breakdown thing seems to be huge.  
With that I am back in Waterfall, out of sight.  
I sit down on the ground and take a few deep breaths.  
Oh boy...  
That was... that could have gone so bad.  
I think I've salvaged most of it...

* * *

I shortcut back to Chara.  
He's stopped building with the dice and is currently just sitting around staring in the air.  
I put the nicecream down on the table next to the now empty cup of cocoa.  
I know how much he likes chocolate.  
I put the cup in the kitchen sink and look for the human.  
They're at Undyne's place during their bff date.  
I follow them when they're done.  
The rest of the run went through as well as I could manage.  
I talked with Muffet a lot and got a bit of background on the whole universe.  
It seems similar to Basic with the main difference being Sans.  
Apparently the Sans of this world is a bit of an oddball.  
People are at the same time scared and drawn to him.  
There are many rumours about him being psychotic.  
He also is royal administrator in charge of the computers down here.  
I get more information that I'll pass on to Chara when I'm done.  
Judgement hall was as usual and then came my cue to make the Flowey fight.  
As usual, it was pretty awesome.  
Though in recent years I have to convince the souls to rebel against me.  
I'm not evil anymore, so they see my good intentions and are reluctant at first.  
But as usual they play along when I've explained it to them.  
After the fight is over and the human spares me one last time they go back and do the True Lab after I convinced Papyrus to convince Undyne to give the human the letter.  
So many proxies...  
After they resurface I have to go through the last conversation...  
It plays as usual until the moment mum... flirts (shudder) with me.  
* That voice...! Hello, I think we may... Know each other?  
* oh hey... i recognize your voice, too.  
* So nice to meet you.  
* the name's sans.  
* and, uh, same.  
* Fuhuhuhu~  
Muffet walks in, thank god, she'll tell mum that they're-  
* Sorry your majesty, but we're only available in a set.  
* So, if you want to~  
Mum raises her hands pointing to the human.  
* Pleases, there are children present.  
Then she leans in...  
* We can talk about this later (wink)  
... please dust me.  
But I've got no time for that, I've got to play two roles now.  
I concentrate and prepare some flower magic.  
When my cue comes I trap everyone in vines, including myself and project a little me that everyone sees.  
I use shortcuts to throw my Flowey voice from it and let the last scenes play out as usual, but I'll leave Chara alone during that, he doesn't need the stress.  
I can use my soul to replace his.

* * *

After everything is done everyone goes starts ascending towards the surface I make a shortcut to Chara.  
I think that now was enough time for now...  
I change into my usual self with a few minor modification.  
He is just standing in the room apparently completely lost in thought, his eyes are empty as well.  
I shake his shoulder and his pupils come back.  
* Hey, get a grip, I've got to bring you and your body up to speed since we'll get booted from this universe in the next hour or so.  
* wha-?  
* I finished your run and-  
* why?  
I draw him into a hug.  
Usually we don't do things like that, but he needs it.  
* Because you're my brother and when I'll be there for you.  
He starts sobbing and crying.  
Apologising for something, I've got no idea what since he is incoherent.  
Ten minutes later he calms down considerably, his glum, moody behaviour from earlier blown away.  
* thank you.  
He punches me in the arm.  
What gives.  
* broface.  
He didn't call me that in a long time... he finally is getting better.  
* now, what exactly did happen with you?


	9. Off the Rails

Sequence 2:

i slowly blink.  
* wha-?  
* I finished your run and-  
he what?  
* why?  
he draws me into a hug.  
* Because you're my brother and when I'll be there for you.  
oh god...  
i start crying...  
* i'm not your chara...  
* you know that, you see that those are never the same people you knew...  
* and you still treat me like a brother...  
* even now you're here for me...  
* i'm sorry that i've never seen you as my real brother, azzy...  
at least that is what i want to tell him.  
but it all comes out as incoherent sobbing.  
i cry out all the frustration and loneliness.  
all the time before i met him...  
it doesn't go away in that short a time...  
my head is broken from the time before...  
and you can only fix what you know is wrong.  
yeah... but it won't happen over night.  
one step at a time...  
it takes a few minutes to regain myself.  
* thank you.  
he is my brother after all...  
not by blood but by fate...  
i give him a playful punch.  
* broface.  
his face lights up as well.  
seems he has been waiting for this moment.  
* now, what exactly did happen with you?  
he gives me a condensed version of the last few hours.  
what papyrus did, the differences in waterfall, the whole thing with muffet which leaves me a bit dumbfounded (but gives me the idea to really go by "O" in the future, because, why not?) and the last encounter.  
* you did exceptionally well.  
* Aww golly Chara, it was nothing.  
* nothing your butt, fluffy.  
i give him another light punch.  
* be proud of your work.  
he smiles at me as i stand up.  
* we're gonna finish this up now.  
i stretch, my bones creaking a bit.  
* next time will be better...  
i give my new brother a hug.  
* thanks for the cocoa.  
we stay like this for a moment before wrapping this run up.

* * *

new universe.  
sitting on the couch in my undies...  
in my hand the first book of the foundation series.  
really liked those books as well.  
the paper feels nice on my fingers...  
something very familiar about this situation reminds me that i've got to do something.  
i snatch papy's phone and shortcut into the lab.  
the drawers are filled with heaps of half full notebooks.  
we got another one of the new universe it seems.  
makes sense, my head feels filled with cotton again.  
* bahp-deep-bahp- **click**  
* yo bro.  
* Howdy, is another new one, looks peaceful.  
* that's good, by the way, seems this is the same one as last time.  
* Ah, okay.  
asriel pauses for a moment.  
* Are you feeling okay?  
i scratch my head a bit.  
better be honest about this stuff...  
* not really, my head is still on the fritz.  
i slump down on the seat and sigh.  
* i think i'll use this loop to get better with my mind...  
* sounds like a good idea, i'll call you when they get to mum's.  
* thanks bro.  
* You're welcome. Later! (click)  
i put the telephone on the table and rub my face.  
i need to sort my mind out.  
music seemed to help a bit, so i search for something.  
this instance also has a pair of headphones.  
guess that is part of the universe.  
i press play, stop thinking and let the music wash over me.  
it starts a bit jazzy but turns into something more akin to hip-hop.  
i just stare at the wall for a few moments.  
my head feeling like molasses again.  
the music plays and plays.  
at some point i stand up and start walking around the room.  
my thoughts get a bit clearer but not by much.  
i have no idea what is going on, but this is not just a fluke.  
i replay the last run in my head.  
it's fuzzy but i can remember everything.  
i can see it all but it comes in as a mess.  
the stale air of alphys' lab combined with the clanging of metal.  
the feeling of the snow under my foot intermingled with the sight of the human.  
and all those dice...  
it calmed me greatly to sort them in strange patterns.  
i can barely connect two thoughts consciously but it still comes out intact.  
like someone tells me the answer to a question and i don't know why it is the answer.  
and sometimes the way my thoughts wind are so strange in hindsight yet still coherent...  
i can't even focus on having pity on myself.  
i walk around the lab for a bit but the space is rather limited so i shortcut to the living room.  
i see a laptop lying in a shelf.  
the others don't have it, they only have the high performance computer in the back.  
i start it up, waking it from hibernation apparently.  
the screen is mint coloured with a lot of text.  
having nothing better to do anyway i read over it.  
it looks like the first two chapters of a book.  
it's about the travels of a young monster on the surface in search of other pockets of magic.  
pretty dark and lighthearted at the same time.  
i'm not sure he can publish it, but a lot of passion was put into it.  
another tab titled 'deep_ ' catches my attention.  
i give it a read.  
The change in Glori's breathing tells me she has fallen asleep. Still drained and overwhelmed by the whole experience I glance at the tattoo that is now on my arm and massage the bridge of my nose.  
I miss my Scoggins. It is warm in my Scoggins. It is safe in my Scoggins. There are no adultery committing waitresses in my Scoggins.  
looks like he put some effort in this as well.  
fifteen chapters...  
i put the laptop down and stare at the mint green screen.  
the blinds are drawn shut letting very few light inside.  
some instrumental rock starts playing...  
i have no idea what to do to straighten my head out.  
i spend a few minutes just watching the screen, listening to the music.  
i get lost in my head, my imagination constructing a picture of me, sitting on the gauntlet, staring into the distance, looking over all of snowdin while the music plays in my head.  
* (rrrring)  
i jump.  
someone is ringing at the door.  
that gave me a good scare...  
i shortcut towards the door.  
i pause the music and open the door.  
muffet is standing there, in jeans, a black top, hair worn open and carrying a large bag.  
* heya.  
muffet looks at me, snickers and walks inside.  
* My, my~ Looks like someone is a bit eager~  
she sits down on the couch, continuing to smile at me slyly while she takes out some kind of notepad.  
as i close the door i realise that i'm still only wearing underwear.  
* oops, forgot to put on clothes, i'll get something.  
* Ahuhuhu~ Yes, sure you will~  
before i shortcut away she turns to me and puckers her lips.  
i remember what asriel told me.  
better give her a kiss first to not raise any suspicion...  
i do hope this sans won't be mad about it...  
no headache?  
looks like i'm free to do so.  
i walk over and give her a smooch.  
something warm and soft is suddenly in my hands.  
without really registering i grabbed her upper arms.  
before i let can let go, she's using her lower arms to draw me onto the couch.  
oh god.  
i know where this is heading.  
i can't risk a soulbond.  
she might learn about everything and the whole thing...  
i float in the middle of darkness in front of something bright and white.  
where am i?  
what is this?  
is this a soulbond?  
did my host somehow do this?  
i take a deep breath.  
why can't i breathe?  
why can't i see my hands?  
or my feet?  
what am i right now?  
this is all new...  
something like a string starts to emerge from one of the glowing things.  
i try reaching out to it before remembering that i don't have hands.  
but just the intent of touching it makes the strand unfold and swallows me for a moment.  
i'm in a house, black couch, a small sans is hopping around on the couch and giggling.  
i feel that he is excited, curious and confused because he can't remember anything before that moment and doesn't know why he knows what he knows.  
then i am back in front of the two white objects in the blackness.  
more strands start emerging.  
i think about touching a different strand that unwinds from the other object.  
it also swallows me.  
i am in a dark room muffet is sitting in front of the computer and blankly stares at the screen.  
she is filled with a hollowness, not really registering anything but deeply despairing.  
and just like that i'm back in the black.  
i touch more strands.  
every time i am thrown into a situation with one of them.  
like slices of their lives.  
memories that come to life.  
i learn so much more about both of them and the world i'm inside.  
the sans here had always trouble with his head, an intelligent fellow but only able to grasp his potential for minutes at a time, feeling like not living up to that potential is letting everyone down but shying away from talking about it.  
muffet had her heart broken many times, got picked on by many people but never gave up.  
and the world, all the people they interact with.  
papyrus, his big brother who always took care of him, who always supported him, encouraged him to do grow and was always there when he was at his limits.  
then two strands connect in the space.  
i am curious, what is going on there?  
with another thought i am swallowed by the connecting strands.  
i'm in snowdin, muffet and sans are walking through the woods, holding hands and talking, i feel the connection between them.  
again, the same as when touching a single strand, i return to the blackness with the white things, which i suspect are their souls.  
more strands connect and i touch them as well.  
so many scenes play out, how they got together, how sans made a shortcut to get all the spiders to hotland from the ruins, exploring the deeper parts of the underground and just sitting around together.  
and then the strands start to coalesce together, weaving a kind of rope between their, probably, souls.  
when the rope is completely woven a bright, warm flash takes over my consciousness for a split second.  
then i am on the couch, a breathless muffet only in her underwear lying beneath me, a stupid grin on her face.  
* Oh my~  
she clears her throat.  
* My boyfriend and I had a talk. And we've agreed that we'll not hold anything against you, as long as you drop the whole act.  
* oh great...

* * *

to my relief she put her shirt and trousers back on.  
* i'd ask what gave me away but i guess the answer to that is... you know...  
i walk up and down in front of the couch, it helps me think keep calm.  
* Yeah, soulbonding. Ahuhuhu~  
she pinches my butt.  
* And for someone as ancient as you, you're pretty shy about it.  
i freeze and stare at her.  
* ancient?  
she smiles and pats on the empty space next to her.  
* Oh, don't worry, we'll keep quiet about it, scout's honour.  
i sit down and sigh.  
* just, fan-fucking-tastic...  
she stretches and flashes me a grin.  
* So, how was it?  
i think for a moment.  
* different from what i expected.  
* How so?  
she scoots a bit closer to me.  
* mostly, i read... a bit... about... what happens then, both inside and outside.  
* Ahuhuhu~  
she leans even closer to me.  
it's getting... awkward for me?  
oh god, it has been ages since i was this embarrassed.  
i think...  
alphys...  
in under...  
erm, i should say something, she starts grinning maliciously and moves even closer.  
* could we talk about something else?  
* Nuh uh~ You have to get over this, if you really want to fit in everywhere.  
she... has a point actually.  
there are often universes where some monster flirts with sans and i kind of push them aw-  
i really hope i didn't destroy any relationships...  
i have to get better control about what happens.  
but it wouldn't be good to leave her in charge of this.  
i don't want to risk more information leaking.  
* you know, you're right.  
i pin her hands to the couch, pressing her down.  
* so, ready for round two?  
*Oh my~~~

* * *

we've been "training" for about an hour or two after relocating to sans' room.  
i am learning how it works.  
a light touch to probe without revealing too much, have to work on the lightness.  
a sharp thought to make strings recede, since my host knows about me, i try to suppress all information about me.  
if i concentrate on a question i can dig deeper.  
i also become aware of the ways the strands feel different.  
sad strands, happy strands, angry strands, anything.  
describing how it feels...  
it is like describing what red looks like to someone who can't see.  
but it is so much more than just a single feeling, so many things i have yet to gleam the true meaning of.  
i've learned so much about this sans and his world.  
papyrus is his older brother, used to be rare but those timelines seem to become more numerous recently.  
paps always looked out for him and is a mix of father and brother to him.  
he and muffet had been a couple for a few years.  
he's quite popular, almost everybody knows him.  
well, that goes for most sanses.  
much of his time he spent either reading, writing his fanfics about puzzle agent and exploring the unexplored depths of the underground.  
muffet is usually at his side in all that, they work together in a small very active fan community around that game.  
most of their lives revolve around it in fact.  
he's kind of a trouble maker but never actively seeks trouble.  
he usually goes for non-violent solutions, letting his words fight for him.  
there have been a few very dark, very disturbing glances as well.  
i suspect echoes of genocide timelines.  
flashes of the human covered in cuts, crying, running for their life.  
he seems nice and fluffy on the outside, but if those are really other timelines...  
the size of his new home is incredible.  
he might not know it, but the size of snowdin's extended area, where the human can't travel, is about quice the size of an average new home in other time lines.  
what i've seen of new home would suggest a capacity for more than a million monsters, at the very least.  
it is mindbogglingly huge.  
i've also picked up that he takes medication for his concentration problem and something against depressions.  
i took both of them quickly during a short break.  
during the breaks muffet keeps lounging around on the bed.  
she's pretty much got a permanent grin on her face since we started.  
* bahp-deep-bahp-deep-bahp-deep-bahp-deep- **click**  
* 'sup bro.  
* Well, human is just at are you panting?  
* Is that Papyrus? Tell him hi from me,  
* nah, my bro, not his.  
* Oooh, you mean Asriel!  
* lou in public, please.  
* Who is that?  
* Hi Lou~~~! I'm Sans' girlfriend.  
* Howdy Muffet... am I interrupting something?  
* not at all, what were you saying?  
* Oh, right. the human just got to mum, sadly, they killed a few monsters, so, this gonna be a dud.  
* okay, hearing ya, i'll get ready for my part.  
i take this as a good point to pause the "training".  
walking through the room i gather up one piece of clothing after the other.  
* Why do you do it?  
muffet has started putting on her clothes as well.  
* huh? why do i do what?  
* Play along with the "Story"  
she's completely dressed while i still walk around with only one sock in the hand.  
* you must've seen it, because otherwise i'd doom-  
she throws a t-shirt at me.  
* I know~~~ I mean, in the timelines where they dust monsters, why don't you go crazy?  
* because other-  
she throws her hand up.  
* Take a deep breath and think before speaking, explain to me why.  
* but-  
* Trust me on this. Ahuhuhu~~~  
fine, i've had more time to ponder that question than she's been alive, but whatever.  
* well, you see flowey won't-  
* Lou.  
* right, lou, well he wouldn't show up in... oh.  
she grins and throws her hands in the air.  
* We have a winner!  
she walks close to me and puts two of her arms on my shoulders.  
* You're not alone any more. Go out there and have some fun!  
of course, she is right.  
i was stuck so long alone in this thing, i forgot that my former worst enemy is now my brother.  
* you know what? i'll take a vacation, the human will have to reset anyway if they want to get out of here.  
i twirl around once and shortcut all clothes onto me that i can see.  
* i'll pick my brother up so we can hang out together in home, it has been too long.  
and with that i shortcut to the door in snowdin forest, coincidentally arriving right behind the human.  
* oh my, are you here all alone?  
i stand directly behind the human, centimetres away, breathing down their neck.  
* kids shouldn't be out in the the dark woods, alone.  
i put my hands on their shoulders and whisper in their ear.  
* but don't worry, i know where to find an adult.  
i pat them on the back so hard they stumble a step forward.  
* just past the bridge over there is my brother and he is, supposedly, an adult.  
the human gives me a confused look.  
* wha? me? nah, i'm not an adult, it's way too boring.  
my new brother should be listening if he does his job diligently, which he always does.  
* now excuse me, i've got something to do.  
i step back in the shadow, using the relative darkness to mask my disappearing.

* * *

asriel is in his flowey form, listening to what happened on the other side of the door.  
* Oh... howdy, Sans. Funny seeing you here.  
i consider playing a prank on him for a moment, but i'm not sure if that's a good idea.  
on the other hand, this is the only chance i have to do it.  
after today, this will be normal, not the exception.  
i let my eyes go dark.  
* greetings little flower, how come you know my name? do we have someone playing with the timelines again?  
he just stands there, paralysed, looking at me.  
and then he just starts laughing, howling even, unable to speak.  
* what is going on?  
after a few moments he can gasp a few words out between laughters  
* The face!  
face? what about it?  
i build a shortcut in front of my eyes that directs to another shortcut that faces me.  
it's a way to look at myself that i rarely use since there is no point to it anyway i always look the hell is with my eyes!?  
they look like they're melting and running down my face.  
* okay, i didn't expect that.  
meanwhile asriel has calmed down enough to talk again.  
* Oh god, the face... you actually did the face.  
he turns into his late teen aged fluffy form, the one he prefers, with a huge grin on his face which immediately falters.  
* What are you doing here? What about the whole thing?  
i shrug.  
* meh, i thought i try something new this time.  
he crosses his arms and gives me a questioning look.  
* Are you sure?  
i mull it over again.  
if i go back to the same routine, what would it bring to me?  
but if i start messing with the timelines, maybe i find clues on what is happening.  
though, i still shouldn't overdo it since it might cause memory fragments to be created and i don't know how much damage i'd be doing.  
but what i should do is obvious.  
* yeah, broface.  
asriel smiles again.  
* You don't have to say broface every single sentence.  
heh, yeah, but i feel i should. after all...  
* well, a lot of them accumulated in the last few decades, so for now, bear it.  
he laughs for a moment and then becomes a tad more serious but still relaxed.  
* What you got planned for us?  
i grin my biggest grin.  
* it's been too long since we did some sparring, how does that sound?  
he smiles  
* Like a plan, I was itching to show you how much I improved.  
i open a shortcut leading to home and asriel follows me to there.  
* how's shortcutting going?  
he shrugs.  
* Not good, still need your body for it, though, it is getting easier.  
we arrive in central home.  
it's large but not that much compared to new home.  
* i suppose there's nobody in this city, tori should be done with shopping and aside from her nobody comes here.  
* You know you can call her mum.  
i shrug.  
* doesn't feel right, you know.  
he laughs.  
* I know, I know. I meant, nobody is listening.  
* Is that so, Ahuhuhuhu~  
i turn in the direction of the voice, asriel does as well.  
we're both acting relaxed but ready to strike.  
we trained hard to get this down pat.  
took us about three months.  
it takes a moment to place the voice but then it clicks.  
* muffet?  
she sits on the ruined wall of a decrepit building, waving at us nonchalantly.  
* how did you get here?  
i know i told her we're going to home, but she found us and somehow went past the one way door into the ruins...  
colour me impressed.  
* Not telling, now does one of you have popcorn?  
asriel crosses his arms.  
* Sorry, but you'll have to evacuate to a safe distance from here.  
she gently jumps down.  
* Nope, I'm staying.  
* If you insist.  
without a warning azzy lets a fireball loose in my direction.  
i step to the side, letting it hit the wall behind me as i shortcut to the nearest roof.  
the wall is slowly deforming under the heat of the magical fire.  
the attack might have been pretty powerful but rather easy to dodge.  
i see asriel still standing on the ground, hands in his pockets, surrounded by a little splash of the fire..  
no trace of muffet who was standing on the far side of azzy.  
that's strange, was she really dust-  
* Oh my, that what a display of raw power. Are you that intimidated by me?  
she sits on a lamppost behind him, grinning.  
* Let me show you how this is done correctly.  
there is something very poisonous in her voice.  
gracefully she stands up on the lamppost, ready to jump.  
the next moment she is already rushing towards azzy.  
he can barely blink before she stands behind him, her string wrapped around his throat and a single gun pointed at his head.  
* This is how you show power.  
wow, she is really impressive.  
that was good enough to stand toe to toe with undyne.  
before i notice it i'm grinning.  
* hey muffy, where did you learn that?  
she smiles, dissolving her strings as asriel tries to play it cool.  
* My boyfriend taught me how to win.  
my grin broadens.  
* would you like to spar with us?  
she tilts her head.  
* If you think you can keep up, boys.  
oh, this  
* bro, free for all, don't get too serious, no lethal attacks.  
i undo my coat and shortcut it in sans' room.  
* Erm... first, sorry about before, second, what the heck is going on with him?  
they both are still standing next to each other.  
* First sorry as well, just wanted to flirt a bit.  
i put the headphones on.  
* ready?  
* And second, I think he's overdosing on his medicine right now.  
* start!  
i press play on the headphones.  
the next moment i've shortcut between them and filled the grounds with bones.  
muffet hovers above them, not touching them, still smiling.  
asriel stands on a nearby wall, looking kind of lost.  
i give the wall a shock that'll make it collapse and summon my blasters to attack muffet at the same time.  
azzy sets the cloud of debris on fire, forcing me to dodge as he lands somewhere behind it.  
muffet rises a bit in the air to dodge, it looks like she's going up some stairs.  
better concentrate on her now.  
i use my shortcut to get behind her but her gun is already pointed at me.  
* Too  
i manage to barely dodge in the last moment.  
* Slow.  
she is extremely good, not even the human ever was that skilled.  
i shortcut away but something trips me up and i lie square on my back.  
* If I wanted you dead, all I'd had to do was block your way to dodge like this.  
and she still banters!  
how?  
only in bad anime you can reach this level in less than twenty years of rigorous training.  
come on, you call that skilled? you're just not fast enough. but i can help. all it takes is faster thoughts. now take a breath and do it like this.  
i hear the voice of this sans again, i have no idea why... maybe a side effect of whatever is wrong with his head.  
i love you too. now shut up and do as i say.  
but i don't really have a choice, i lie here almost defenceless.  
still lying on the floor i take a deep breath and flood my soul with magic.  
and then something clicks.

* * *

muffet in air, has way to float.  
knows what i can do.  
sees what i plan and counter plans.  
counter?  
analyse plan and predict her counter.  
lying on floor, muffet tripped us during shortcut.  
still unknown how she did that.  
banter was to drive that home,  
i would consider shortcuts not viable until i know how she did it.  
plan would be to jump up and attack her without moving, concentrating on keeping her away, learning on how she does it.  
seems prudent.  
but that would be what she expects.  
the air?  
would be hard.  
unexpected.  
let's do it.  
fuck yeah!  
shortcut to air.  
in free fall.  
everything moves so slow.  
no time to enjoy the feeling.  
right.  
i use heavy duty telekinesis to throw a piece of wall.  
shortcut onto it.  
good view of the space.  
she reorients, has lost me.  
she will see me in a few and prepare.  
idea.  
decoy out of bone magic and shortcut to roof a bit off.  
will she see the trap?  
unimportant. just have to force the move.  
leave blasters primed to go off after a second.  
she can't teleport so she will have to dodge.  
floor still covered with bone field.  
left it open to one side of her, could dodge there.  
but she will know i try to force her there so dodge will be into cover.  
out of sight on cost of probably minor bruises.  
if she thinks i'm up there she will try to go into blindspot and expect me to know she would move there and prepare counter ambush.  
oh god, how is this sans not insane if that is normal?  
never said i wasn't  
stupid voices in my head.  
just calm, we're almost out of time.  
yeah.  
quick shortcut.  
in position on rooftop.  
she sees the decoy.  
blaster go off and she dodges into cover.  
since this is training, no lethal blows.  
shortcut to her side and pin her with blue magic.  
blasters at the ready aimed directly at her head.  
* any last words?  
* Next time, take the shot.  
i grin at her as she draws her tiny gun at my head  
* if it were, you'd be begging for mercy.  
time slows down even more.  
focus on joints, could break her arms and legs with a single kinetic push...  
this is training, no meed for lasting damage.  
correct. but if she tries to pull something off, i won't hesitate.  
fair enough.  
she raises her hands  
* You win, I know you went easy on me.  
i relax a fraction, time gains speed again.  
azzy is still out there and i lost sight of him.  
he could easily get the jump on-  
* Parley?  
asriel's voice echoes through the ruins.  
* Accepted.  
he steps out of the cloud made of dust and rubble.  
* Now, since you can think straight again, I would like to know WHAT THE HELL THAT WAS?!  
i blink.  
* Ahuhuhu~  
* Now, instead of giggling, could you explain what you meant with overdosing? Is he in danger?  
overdose?  
* Don't worry, while the effects are... impressive as you can see, they are temporary.  
i throw my hands in the air in exasperation.  
* could somebody please tell me what is going on?  
azzy sits down on a crumbled wall and dusts himself off.  
* That's what I'd like to ask you, why did you just go off like that.  
... yeah, why did i?  
* I told you, overdosing on his medicine.  
* what?  
muffet sighs and sits down on the crumbled wall next to asriel.  
* My boyfriend has a few mental problems. One of them is problems with concentrating, you took his pills without food so the effect was more intense.  
azzy pulls out monstercandy from his inventory eats one and offers one to muffet,  
* And that means...?  
she shakes her head and takes out a can of iced coffee.  
* Among things, the mind is faster.  
she looks at me.  
* How long did you give us to get ready?  
i think i see where this'll go.  
* dunno. three, four seconds?  
asriel coughs after almost choking on the monstercandy.  
* No, it was barely a second.  
wow, that is impressive.  
* i apologize in that case. that was not my intention.  
muffet smiles.  
* Accepted  
i finally sit down between them.  
* but, damn, that is one heck of a side effect.  
muffet puts two arms around me.  
* Well, not really, it is actually magic.  
i look at her confused.  
* how ya mean that?  
* Thought speed acceleration, it's a kind of magic sans has naturally.  
asriel scratches his head.  
* I didn't know you can do that.  
i'd fall over backwards in surprise if that didn't hurt so much.  
instead i just jump on my feet.  
* i can't. this is the very first time i heard that.  
i put my left hand under my chin and think.  
the ability to think that fast is extremely powerful.  
especially since my magic is just limited to the speed of thought in most cases.  
i smile and turn to muffet.  
* sweet, any chance you can train me to use it?  
she closes her eyes and shakes her head.  
* Sorry, this can't be taught, you need the potential to use it in your soul.  
i sigh.  
would have been too nice to just be able to learn it.  
but in retrospect it makes sense.  
in all the time i was stuck in this loop i never managed to learn undyne's green soul technique or alphys' yellow soul transformation.  
* well, that's that...  
asriel is done munching his lunch.  
* So, I think this begs one question.  
* what we're going to do now?  
he jumps of the wall and turns around in one swift motion looking at me.  
* No, the question is WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?  
* what do you mean?  
he throws his arms in the air.  
* EVERYTHING! Ever since we first set foot in Alice, you've been no different, but now this?!  
* i-  
he stomps and under him the asphalt is melting.  
* LET ME TALK! We've been travelling together for more than four centuries before then and you always told me the same! "Don't disturb the order" "We can't change anything!" even after we found Alice that barely changed! We always acted in the shadows! And now, just out of the blue you pretty much threw the whole run.  
he crosses his arms as he looks at me with a serious face,  
* You occasionally did things like this before, but always with a purpose. I actually thought you wanted to talk something over about this timeline in peace while training. But... It seems you really are throwing the run on a whim.  
i sit there, shocked.  
he is right...  
this isn't how it used to be...  
i abandoned this timeline on a whim...  
i should-  
he throws his arms around me.  
* I was afraid you'd be stuck in that mindset forever... I'm so glad you finally moved on.

he is right.  
i was so stuck...  
and i almost went back...  
boundaries are made to be pushed, rules are made to be exploited. you can only learn by doing new things.  
i grin.  
* so, wanna party?  
asriel pulls away, tears running down his face.  
* I thought you'd never ask.  
muffet clears her throat.  
* While I don't want to ruin this... "Brotherly" moment, I'd suggest you  
she points at me  
* Get Sans' black coat, I'm gonna show you _our_ New Home. I heard it isn't like anything else.  
with a even bigger grin i shortcut to a few meters away.  
in the same shortcut his black coat wraps around me as i fold space around me and let it unfold again.  
standing there, facing them i snap my right hand and rip a large shortcut open behind me.  
muffet sits and smiles while asriel stands around with a dropped jaw.  
* Ooooh, me likey. Ahuhu~  
* Not just you...  
* what you waiting for?  
i turn around and step towards new home.  
* it's not like we have forever.

* * *

i sit on the couch again, book in hand.  
my head still pounds.  
i didn't know you could get drunk on sugar.  
learned something new.  
you can only really put things in context by experiencing them.  
and god-damn, their new home is huuuuge.  
i opened the shortcut to where usually the centre is.  
we were still in the outskirts.  
i opened another shortcut with muffet giving directions.  
first she showed us the ian van gold librarby.  
literature from the surface made up only around half of its contents.  
the other was from the underground.  
there was even a decent fiction section.  
i jerry, by jerry was as bad as it sounds, just stories of jerry who has problems because other people suck; abrax and the magic sword, a series of books written about five humans called abrax, muffet tells me the story gets more nuanced and deep with every protagonist change; and tales from scoggins, a series of comics drawn by muffet about puzzle agent variations was also there, apparently sans helped her with the writing.  
most of it was well written as well!  
at some time something in my coat rang.  
it wasn't papy's mobile, it was, apparently, this sans'.  
muffet took the phone before i could answer.  
told me that this sans is working on demand as computer specialist.  
but she declared this day as taken off and answered all calls and cancelled all appointments.  
we also visited some other shops, among them one for roleplay- and boardgames.  
again with many underground published stuff.  
urban warfare, a city takeover game; immigration, a game where you build a city to accommodate an influx of refugees; dungeon crawl, some kind of roleplaying game with a huge meta plot going on.  
this whole universe is so huge it can support this kind of stuff.  
i think we spent an hour or so playing a game called munchkin.  
it was great.  
after the shop tour muffet went to call a good friend of theirs after dumping us in a rather large club.  
for the first time in my life i saw unfriendly looking monsters.  
and not jerry unfriendly, human on a genocide unfriendly.  
but they kept their distance.  
after a while she came back with a humanoid monster called ace.  
broface had already told me about meeting her.  
i introduced asriel as lou cypher.  
she almost immediately tried intimidating him.  
she looks tough as nails and fight-happy.  
he returned her threats with an evil grin.  
i think they like each other.  
we drank a few cocktails also with ingredients in them i haven't heard of before.  
the drink of knowledge, 2 parts appleliquor, 2 parts fig juice and 1 part lemon juice; the royal cub, 1 part mead, 1 part gold rum, 1 part absinthe, a splash cinnamon extract, a splash butterscotch extract; the blank mind, 1 part orange juice, 1 part carrot juice 1 part mango juice and a splash of brainbleach.  
that last one was really strong.  
azzy never had alcohol before so he overdid it massively.  
ace picked a fight a bit later and in his inebriated state he joined the brawl.  
muffet also joined in.  
i personally just sat down, nursed my drink a bit and occasionally dodged a thrown monster.  
i giggle at the memory of azzy standing on a mountain of knocked out monsters, trying to shout "boom chacka lacka!" but his speech was so slurred it came out as "boochka".  
i won't let him life this, ever, down.  
after that an actual police force just like from the telly, rounded us all up and threw us in a cell..  
azzy went on for the final fight, which must have been hilarious, while muffet ace and me remained in the cell.  
ace and muffet both fell asleep on my shoulders and even drooled on my shirt.  
the last thing i remember before drifting away was a tall skeleton in a black shirt and short pants talking about not expecting me here.  
that was a ride.  
but, new morning, new try.  
muffet comes through the door and sits down on the couch.  
* Hey Sans, quick reality check, were you possessed by an ancient mind and then we got drunk last night, or did i dream that?  
... fuck.


	10. Consequences

Sequence 3: Consequences

i take a deep breath.  
* elaborate please.  
she sighs and put a hand over her eyes.  
* Ah nothing, just, I had apparently the strangest dream.  
i put my hand on her shoulder.  
* i'm so, so sorry, but it wasn't a dream.  
she laughs lightly and swats my arm away.  
* Yeah, yeah, it was a vision.  
i sigh and recollect the last run.  
* we spent the morning on the couch and in the bedroom.  
she doesn't visibly react.  
* then we made a trip to the ruins and trained there.  
she takes a deep breath.  
* less training and more showing off after that-  
she jumps up from the couch and starts pacing through the living room.  
* How, just how did this happen?  
i get the medication of this sans and take it.  
* Oh god, am I stuck in the loop now as well.  
after that i quickly grab papyrus' mobile and dial asriel.  
* (ring ring)  
i never call him except in emergencies.  
* I don't want to be stuck here...  
* What has happened?  
and i really think this constitutes one.  
* just get here, everything else is low priority.  
she continues pacing and talking to herself...  
the first time resetting to the beginning is always hard.  
especially if she saw even a fraction of what i went through.  
asriel appears promptly from the bathroom.  
he looks pretty hung over.  
* Here I am, so what is with Muffet?  
with a sigh i try to minimize the drama in my next sentence.  
* she can remember the last run.  
he gives me at first a concerned look, followed by a disbelieving look before sitting down next to me.  
* So, what are we doing now?  
i shrug as muffet runs of to the bathroom  
* i have no idea, this whole universe seems unreal, to be honest.  
we just sit there for a few moments.  
i didn't experience this level of strangeness for a long time.  
well, there was one other person with us.  
* yo, could you check if ace remembers anything?  
he raises an eyebrow.  
* You think it's infectious?  
i shrug non-committally, best not to fan the flames of suspicion at this time.  
* just a precaution, don't want her to run around confused and do something she'll regret.  
he nods in understanding.  
* Yeah, makes sense, disguised as you?  
i ponder it for a moment.  
* doesn't matter, if she doesn't remember anything she won't react to you anyway.  
* Right, see ya in a moment.  
he disappears in a swirl of petals.  
his transformation into a flower, teleportation and transformation back got really smooth.  
i am concerned about muffet, maybe i should look after her.  
headache, so, probably bad idea.  
oh god, this gets worse and worse.  
asriel reappears in another whirl of petals.  
* Ace doesn't seem to recognise me.  
* that's good, at least the damage is contained.  
we sit both down and think.  
why is it happening...  
what is different...  
she didn't seem to remember anything about asriel last time.  
so it must have happened in the last run.  
* we should really search for the reason, what did we do last run.  
asriel looks at me from his seat at the table.  
* Well, aside from getting drunk near the end?  
i lean back and take a deep breath.  
* yes, i don't think that's it, or ace would have remembered as well.  
for a few moments we just sit there in silence.  
what else did happen?  
it must have been something that only happened to muffet...  
i build the timeline in my mind.  
we did a lot of new things yesterday.  
but none of it seems like it could cause this.  
i'd say "magic" and leave it at that, but if i accidentally pull more people in the loop... not everyone can withstand the stress.  
and she is the only one that can remem-  
* ouch!  
* Chara?  
i rub my head.  
that had felt like almost a punch to the head.  
and not a weak one either.  
* nothing, just giant headache.  
* Oh, what is your host not liking?  
i blink at asriel.  
that's right, headaches are a way my host shows me he doesn't approve of something.  
* i just thought that only muffet can remem- ouch!  
he crosses his arms.  
* So, he objects to that, it seems?  
* looks like it.  
* Then he remembers as well.  
of course, why else would he do that?  
i feel kinda slow again.  
* great, so what did he do?  
asriel shrugs.  
* Same as you, I'd say.  
* that means, whatever happened, it happened to both of us.  
i think, what did we do...  
well, one thing kinda stands out.  
soulbonding.  
could it be the cause?  
so many questions, so few answers.  
* but, in any case, you should go back and keep watch over the human.  
asriel nods and teleports away.  
i'm restless.  
can't do anything.  
need something to do.  
i sit, paralysed by doubt, incapable of acting.  
with a thought, the music on my headphones starts playing.  
staring at the ceiling i lose touch with the world.  
darkness creeps in and suddenly i stand on the walls of new home.  
* nice to see you here.

* * *

i look to my left.  
i- sans stands there.  
he wears the same clothes as i just did.  
looking down i wear the usual parker.  
* where are we.  
he taps on his skull.  
* inside my head.  
is he serious?  
how did i get here?  
* i'm confused.  
he laughs.  
* you notice you're confused.  
why is he saying that.  
* that means, there is something that contradicts what you expect.  
he... how did he know that?  
* i can't tell you exactly why, but my mind is extremely flexible.  
within the blink of an eye new home shifts into home, abandoned and ruined.  
* i set it up that multiple minds can always run around in here.  
that is strange.  
* you expected to get possessed by a mind?  
he just shrugs.  
* no, it just makes thinking easier. one mind for every side. mind stays open.  
i give him another look he looks...  
relaxed in this situation.  
* you're taking this well.  
* i've made plans for about any situation.  
he waves his hand through the air.  
* stuck in a time loop, wake up as a human, human falls down, barrier destroyed over night, civil wars, almost anything that came to my mind.  
either he's joking, or he's insane.  
who in their right mind would do something like that?  
i look down at home.  
* you know, you're probably insane.  
* probably.  
he grins  
* said the guy in a time loop.  
he has a point there.  
* okay, but what do we do now?  
he turns his back at home and looks at me.  
* what we always should do when the shit hits the fan.  
he flashes another smile.  
* we think.  
i give him a disbelieving look.  
* okay, then, you start, because i have no idea what has happened.  
he sighs.  
* okay, first off, i can remember the last two runs.  
* WHAT?  
* no need to shout. i think it has to do with... well, this.  
he waves with his hand around.  
i have no idea what he means.  
* please be more specific.  
he gives of an exasperated smile.  
* whatever we're doing right now is kind of soulbonding.  
... okay, that makes much more sense than the multiple minds line.  
* so, what about not knowing exactly what is happening?  
he pouts as well as any sans is capable to.  
* i just thought it'd be more awesome to put it that way.  
wow, he's really childish.  
* plus, i really have no idea how we're doing it right now, must be something with my mind.  
in that point he probably is right.  
i couldn't ever talk with another sans this way.  
this world gets more and more fucked up.  
* so, you're saying you can remember because of soulbonding?  
* kinda, i mean, you know how soulbonding works?  
i try to recall the books i've read.  
* well, when two monsters open a connection between their souls, they share soul matter, exchanging a spark of their own with the other, and if that is done with the intention of procreating, the spark acts like the nucleus of a new soul, host soul and spark mixing into what will become the child soul.  
* correct answer, a++. now you ever wondered what happens when no child happens?  
i shrug.  
i've never bothered much with soulbonding, so i've got no idea.  
* they fuse with the surrounding soul. that is why couples' magic usually get more similar.  
i try to grasp the implication.  
* so, right now, we exchange soul matter.  
he shrugs.  
* 's a theory at least.  
and here i thought i found an easy way to gain information.  
* why the long face?  
* well, it means i can't soulbond without the danger of creating more loopers.  
he pats me on the back.  
* while i understand how sweet it is to soulbond, quick info, you only share with others when either you give or they seek.  
he smiles.  
* and, a bit of feedback, you managed pretty fast to not leak information about you to us when we did it with muffet together.  
how is he so calm?  
* this can't be real...  
* sorry to tell ya, but it is.  
* no, i meant physically can't.  
we are suddenly in the middle of a road in home.  
* elaborate.  
* you! you're too calm! just, why don't you freak out?  
he shrugs.  
* as i said, a plan for everything.  
i take a moment.  
no still makes no sense.  
maybe i'm just daydreaming and imagine the whole conversation.  
there is so much i've got to answer.  
* paps' phone is ringing, mind if you get it?

* * *

i sit in the living room on the couch.  
i feel so tired.  
had the strangest daydream right now.  
or did i actually talk with this sans in his head...  
and i feel disconnected from the body, more like controlling a puppet than inside it.  
* bahp-deep-bahp- **click**  
* yeah?  
* bro, emergency Suckerpunch.  
i shortcut to the crossroad.  
my head is flooded with emotions.  
anger, sadness, wrath, confusion, hate.  
i'm glad the human went genocidal.  
i need a punching bag, fast.  
as if on cue the human walks around the corner.  
covered in dust on the way to toriel, planning to end us all.  
* hello there kiddo.  
i shortcut directly behind them putting my hands on their shoulders.  
* i've heard you've been very naughty.  
i can feel them shiver as my hands wander down their arms.  
they smell like a mix of dust, sweat and, for some reason, boysenberries.  
* just because i was lenient the last time we saw each other, doesn't mean you don't have to behave, little one.  
i shortcut us to the balcony above home.  
* killing is bad. it seems i'll have to teach you that the hard way.  
the human turns around, slashing the toy knife at me.  
before they even manage to turn halfway, they rocket down to the ground of home.  
* through pain.  
their little body splatters against the ground.

* * *

i'm in the living room again, shortcut to the cross road.  
the human comes running, i shortcut us both on the balcony.  
* now, here is lesson one.  
they try to turn around again but i'm already launching them towards home.  
* the higher the fall the bigger the splat.  
they crash into a wall, neck broken.

* * *

living room.  
shortcut to crossroad.  
the human comes running again.  
another shortcut to the balcony  
* lesson two, little one.  
they're in the air before they know it.  
* at this height i wouldn't even need to give you an extra push for you to go splat.  
they land on their back.  
with a snap their spine breaks.  
it takes a few seconds to reset.  
that must have hurt.

* * *

* lesson three.  
another heavy throw to the ground.  
* if you want to live longer, try rolling at the end.  
they don't have the chance to roll as they are speared by a rusty fencepost.  
i shortcut towards them putting my hand on their cheek  
* or, you know, don't try this kind of shit at all, much easier.

* * *

* lesson four.  
they hurl towards the ground, hitting the road hard.  
but, they managed to roll and ended up with only a broken arm and fractured leg, still alive.  
* well done!  
i shortcut behind them and blast their tiny soul.  
* anyway, lesson four, just because you survive the fall doesn't mean you'll survive.  
they scream in agony as their soul shatters.

* * *

* so, after forty lessons you got so far as to stand here bruised but not broken.  
the human pants as i sit on a nearby ruin.  
* now, since you're such a slow learner, let us take a five minutes recess.  
i get myself one of those non-alcoholic malt beer this sans seems to like.  
it's... unusual.  
like this whole universe.  
* go on, you can save if you want to.  
i take another swig of this harsh but sweet drink.  
can't say i'm quite fond of it, but it's something new.  
just for the experience it's worth enduring a bit.  
* or you in need of a bit more pounding?  
with that the human starts running towards the exit.  
we're far back in home.  
it would take them hours just to get back to there.  
i give them a five second head start.  
after that i shortcut to close range and penetrate their body with bones.  
* looks like you're boned, kid.

* * *

back on the top of the building, drink in hand.  
seems there actually was a place to save around here.  
good for them.  
i place the drink to the side, still full and go on human hunt.  
i shortcut to a nearby tower which is almost collapsing by now.  
my theory gets proven right when my full weight is put on the tower and it sinks a few centimetres.  
i have to act fast.  
i see the human running along on a broad street.  
* you know? i haven't done this for a long time.  
i use my bones to attack a few weak spots in the structure and let the tower collapse on the human.

* * *

i shortcut to them directly and try to pierce their throat with a bone.  
* i don't mean fighting one of you in a genocide.  
they dodge into a wall that i already covered in bones, a blaster ready to roast them.  
* i mean, playing with a human.

* * *

* there was this one time, i built deadly traps, papyrus luckily didn't remember all those bits flying around.  
the human falls through a hole to the sewers, beneath it the remains of a rusty broken fence.  
* actually, i think that was several times, i learned a lot about human anatomy.

* * *

* you know, i had this idea for a set of cards, each one is coloured.  
i sit at the shore of one of home's rivers, feet dangling into the water.  
* each colour was a different activity i'd do that run, can't remember half of it, but one thing that still burns in my mind was the concept of the black card.  
i push the human's soul a bit deeper into the water as they try to resurface.  
* when i'd draw the only one, i'd just go crazy and kill everyone.  
they thrash harder.  
* but then i got to my senses, what kind of lunatic would kill their friends.  
they fall limp in the water as their soul starts cracking in my magic.

* * *

* in the beginning, it was cathartic.  
i sit with my back to the wall.  
* you know, letting my frustrations out.  
the human lies at my feet.  
* that was, to be honest, after i finally understood that it wasn't a dream.  
their legs crushed by a piece of concrete.  
* since i wasn't thinking straight in the beginning, it usually didn't end well.  
they claw at their legs, trying to free them.  
* i dusted a few times, made much of the underground my enemy, paps usually stood at my side, but i didn't, well, kill monsters. after all, you were there, i didn't think it was a coincidence for even one second. and i wanted you to stop.  
clenching their teeth they try to chisel the concrete around their legs away with their toy knife while i monologue.  
* oh the things i did to all those humans.  
i use my blue magic on them, turning gravity to the side and amplifying it.  
* i'd tell you details but, i don't think you can even hear me over all that screa-

* * *

the human is on all fours, heaving.  
* but one day i realised, you didn't do it either.  
i shortcut in front of them, hands slightly raised.  
* short break?  
they nod before emptying their stomach yet again.  
when they're done, i offer them my malt beer.  
* here, take this. and don't worry it ain't poisoned.  
i don't like it anyway  
* we'll continue with this once you calmed down, okay?  
they sip the drink in silence.  
* that took me an even longer while to figure out.  
i stay out of attack range of theirs, in case they're smart.  
* because none of you talk for some reason.  
this one has bugging me a long time.  
* i still have no idea why, but even when you behave different, you don't really talk. you might, at times, say words, but that ain't talking.  
i wave with my hands in exasperation.  
* if you could talk you'd tell me right now that you could. but why can't you talk freely?  
they still just look at me.  
* i still don't know and frankly, i stopped caring a long time ago.  
with a sigh i approach them slowly.  
that doesn't mean i'm not looking for it and one day i'll find out.  
i curl my fingers together, thumb over index.  
and then i'll punch whoever is responsible in the face.  
they lunge at me.  
it was their chance to go back.  
now, no more chances.  
i flick my finger and with a blue glow the human crashes into a building, breaking their bones.

* * *

* it didn't stop me from still hating you, of course.  
i'm in an old house, looking through their bookshelf.  
* because, however you work or this works or anything.  
nothing overly interesting among it.  
* somewhere there is a choice you make. if there wasn't one, you'd always do the same unless i do something.  
the human thought they successfully sneaked up to me, trying to pounce me.  
i step to the left, giving the bookshelf a shove, which buries the human.  
we're still here, so. the human still lives.  
i sit on the bookshelf.  
* and what bothers me is how erratic you behave.  
i can hear whimpering from under the shelf.  
* being truly unpredictable means that you don't possess capabilities to learn, to gain knowledge or to reason at all, absolving your from responsibility because you can't take any.  
a slight breeze blows through the caverns of home.  
* but you do all that, though it is inconsistent, and as a reasoning being, you must face the consequences of your decisions.  
i sit there, enjoying the atmosphere, the breeze, the smell of wood, the rustling of leaves on the ground, which all is dampened by the whimpering of the sack of water that is slowly dying.  
* and as long as your decisions result in death, you must face the fact that one of the deaths might become yours.  
a last shaking, then silence and stillness.

* * *

we have been doing it for hundreds of times.  
i had time to talk about almost my whole life.  
of the day i woke up in a dark room, naked.  
my slow realisation i was stuck in this loop.  
all my theories, my hundreds of theories of what is happening and why it is.  
why i believe it happens for a reason.  
my attempts to gain power to break the loop.  
slowly giving up...  
losing myself in the endless repetition...  
until the day i met my brother.  
when i found a spark of myself again.  
the adventures we had together.  
the misadventures.  
and how the little crybaby goat turned into one sassy monster i am proud to call brother.  
i turned the road into a field of traps.  
bones that sprout when you step on them.  
i sit on a decrepit old shop, legs over the edge.  
* you know, i think that is what makes me try again.  
i shout to the human a few blocks away.  
* i now have someone for who i do it all.  
* Ahem~  
i'm startled by the sudden noise.  
muffet is standing behind me, hands clasped.  
* you okay?  
she shrugs and sits next to me.  
* As well as I can be...  
we both watch the still city as the human tries to find a way around my traps without me noticing them.  
they are learning.  
* i guess you've been around since the beginning?  
she sighs.  
* Of course, how else would I be here right now?  
while she tried to hide her presence i noticed her pretty quickly.  
but, well, it makes no difference anyway, this whole thing is absurd.  
i let the silence do the talking.  
* Do you mind me asking, why don't you use weapons?  
because they suck?  
* i try to avoid engaging my opponent where their strength is.  
she looks at me confused.  
* My Sans trained how to use weapons.  
she puts two hands on her stomach.  
* He uses his reaction speed and knowledge of anatomy to wield a knife with precision.  
she puts her hands back to the side.  
* That combined with his rather cold-hearted nature made him quite efficient in close quarters.  
she puts a hand on my shoulder.  
* How about you try to gain that?  
i stare into the distance.  
to be honest, it would be a perfect opportunity to study his speed of thought.  
i can feel one trap going off.  
* you know what, even if melee is inferior to ranged combat, there is no bad in honing ones skills.  
she giggles.  
* If I didn't know better, I'd almost think you'd be him.  
i give her a questioning look.  
* what is that supposed to mean?  
she grins.  
* You sound just like him, though with less paedophile jokes.  
paedo-what jokes?

* * *

i sit again on the roof.  
we have been here more than a thousand times.  
they are truly determined to see me dead  
time slows as my mind accelerates.  
i try to unravel the magic again, but it seems to originate in the soul, drawing on a component i have never witnessed before.  
it is not patience, bravery, integrity, perseverance, kindness, justice or determination.  
i'll visit the lab and analyse it once the human finally gives up.  
i shortcut to their front and draw the knife this sans has ingrained in his reflexes.  
the human attacks and i weave around every attack.  
i use only minimal attacks, trying to find out what in his magic he uses to cast the speed boost.  
but even with minimal movement, i cut tendons, blood vessels and muscles.  
i slow them down piece by piece, making them more and more suffer.  
it actually managed to kill them using no magic a few times.  
it takes a bit longer since i can't risk being hit,i had a few close calls in fact that i barely managed to avoid by using magic attacks.  
but i think i'm getting the trick of wielding a knife while short-cutting.  
though it is a bit hard, since i never bothered with offensive martial techniques.  
but in a few thousand loops i might have mastered it to perfection.  
one thing begs to question though...  
i shortcut to muffet decelerate my mind.  
* why a knife?  
it is the weapon of the human.  
* Lies around in every house and fast to wield.  
she shoots me an amused and questioning look.  
* What would you use instead?  
i clean the knife with a rag, don't want it to get dull.  
* swords, axes and spears come to mind.  
she rolls her eyes in exasperation.  
* And, pray tell, where would you get one of those?  
i pause in my cleaning.  
she is right, all those need to be organised somewhere.  
if you expect to fight on short notice...  
* holy crap, your sans must be paranoid as hell.  
* Ahuhuhu~ Yeah he is.  
i accelerate my mind again and dive back into the fight, or rather vivisection, with the human.

* * *

two thousand five hundred and thirty seven.  
i am now at it for more than seventeen hours.  
muffet has been napping for the last hundred tries.  
i sigh.  
* oh god, how fucking long does it take for you to understand, there is no way out of here?  
i am tired.  
not of killing the human, but physically, because of exhaustion.  
the human looks really angry.  
* don't look at me like that, you're the one who forced us into this situation. if you just gave up on killing everyone, we'd all be better off.  
they give me another look and throw their knife on the floor.

* * *

i sit on the couch with a book in my hand.  
i throw my hands in the air  
* THANK TROLL JEGUS, THEY FINALLY GOT IT!  
i blink.  
troll jegus?  
what the hell does that even mean?  
i get papyrus' phone.  
* bah-da-daa-da-daa-daa-daa-daa-daaaa  
that isn't pap's phone.  
i scramble and look for the origin of the ringing.  
oh right, this sans has one.  
where was it...  
in his coat!  
i shortcut to the coat and pull the mobile out.  
caller id is muffet.  
* 'ello?  
* Hey, err, is it every time this abrupt?  
so, she still remembers, figures.  
* nah, well, when they get this genocide thing in their head then yes.  
* Okay, by the way, did you take your pills?  
oh, right  
* not yet, thanks for the reminder.  
i take the pills just as another call comes in  
* bahp-deep-bahp-deep-bahp- **click**  
* 'sup.  
* Nothing except that it took really long. What happened?  
* yeah, this one needed a few more hints.  
* A few?  
his voice drips with sarcasm.  
i am so proud of him.  
* yeah, real slow learner.  
* Okay, let's see how slow, I'll call you back in a few.  
* kay, boochka bro!  
he groans and hangs up.  
he he he.  
i shortcut to alphys' true lab.  
if i remember right, i was here only once.  
seems like months ago, even though it was just a few hours.  
i sit down in the soul matter extraction room and begin tinkering with the equipment.  
a few minutes later i set it up to analyse this sans' soul composition.  
i didn't do this for a long time, since i didn't think things would change so drastically.  
it extracts a minuscule amount of soul matter and begins to work.  
since i've got nothing better to do, i think i'll give ace another visit.  
not that i don't trust azzy, but i like to double check.  
i shortcut to the wall of new home and let my gaze wander.  
all of this is so humongous.  
and yet so like every other world.  
i see the shop "o's delicacies".  
thanks to azzy "o" will be my codename in the future.  
just to annoy him and to force this joke over and over.  
but, that is a strange name for a shop.  
i shortcut to the entrance and open the door.  
a small bell rings and footsteps come from the back of the shop.  
"Welcome to O's delicacies what can I do for, hey Sans."  
she doesn't seem too different from the first time i met her.  
* heya ace, 'sup?  
"Ah, nothing much, with you?"  
* same, same.  
"So, what are you doing?"  
this has been part of what asriel told me.  
* aside from creeping on little girls?  
she giggles at that.  
"Yeah, aside that."  
i shrug.  
* nothing much, just around and wondering something.  
i point with my thumb behind me.  
* why is this "o's delicacies" when neither of you is o?  
she rolls her eyes.  
"I know, right? My dad's a bit too religious in my opinion. Speaking of the devil."  
i turn around to see a tall gaunt monster with black, cord like slick backed hair and holes where their eyes should be.  
they look at me in surprise and fall on their knees.  
a loud bang rings through the air.  
a hole is through their torso.  
they dust before me.  
it was not the human.  
this is bad.  
something is wrong with this universe.


	11. Elder Intervention

Sequence 4: Elder Intervention

What a great day! Today is the day the human is supposed to fall!  
Sans and me prepared for this months ago, we even have little skit drawn up for the human. I play the naive, slightly sadistic puzzle master and he the lazy, psychotic paedophile. I even put on the outfit we made for the last carnival and Sans will put his on. We spent quite some time working on them back in the day.  
We went as Tetsuo and Kaneda. I was of course Tetsuo, as you can easily tell. But Sans, well, he doesn't look good in red, so we changed the main colour of his outfit to blue. It was really fun to run through new home screaming "KANEDAAAAAA!" We even managed to replicate part of their powers! I still have no idea where he got the authentic laser gun from, probably Neal. We used the generator in it to power the electro trap. Ahh, just the thought of the human stumbling through it makes me-  
* Goody-two Goody-two Goody Goody-two-shoes  
My work mobile is ringing.  
I swear...  
THIS IS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GASTER SPEAKING ON HIS DAY OFF, THAT HE REQUESTED, AND GOT APPROVED, MONTHS AGO, AND I HOPE FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR CAREER THAT AT LEAST FIFTY PERCENT OF HAVEN ARE CURRENTLY ON FIRE, FOR YOU TO CALL ME.  
* Sir, well... there has been a report concerning your brother.  
Oh god, not today, please, I have no nerve for this.  
YOU READ THE IOM ABOUT THAT?  
* Tuna-fish.  
Good.

* * *

 _In case there are reports concerning Sans Gaster as the perpetrator :  
1) Make sure they are actually reports and not just suspicion of the witness.  
2) If any actual substantial evidence is given or the witness report is reliable and/or their story plausible, send a patrol immediately and inform them that it is an "actual Sans Case" and not another false accusation.  
3) Call Deputy Commissioner Papyrus Gaster with details of the report regardless of step 2.  
4) When he asks if you read this memo, answer "Tuna-fish"_

* * *

OKAY, WHAT WAS HE REPORTED FOR THIS TIME?  
Awkward silence.  
* Actually, it was an actual report.  
WHAT?  
* Yes, in New Home, new third street seventeen, after a shot was fired, Sans Gaster was witnessed fighting with Ace Spade. Witnesses stated he wielded some sort of heavy duty laser projector and sent a powerful shock through her, she is currently in the New Hospital, being treated for severe burns.  
Oh shit, did he really snap?  
WAS THAT ALL?  
* No, Sir. Constable Hall reported that the dusted remains of Reverend Godon Spade were found in the Shop.  
Oh double shit.  
ARE THE WHEREABOUTS OF SANS KNOWN?  
* I'm sorry sir, but according to witnesses he disappeared in a crack of green fire.  
This is troubling.  
I WILL VISIT MISS SPADE IN THE HOSPITAL AND QUESTION HER.  
* Erm, Sir, she is currently in intensive since there is some kind of unhealing-  
I THOUGHT SO, PUT HER IN AN ISOLATED ROOM, I WILL BRING NICE CREAM.  
* Sir?  
I KNOW WHAT IS CURRENTLY AILING HER.  
* And nice cream will heal her?  
NO, BUT SHE WILL NEED SOMETHING NICE FOR AFTER IT.

* * *

New Hospital, main and only hospital in New Home, staffed to treat three thousand monsters usually only occupied by about about a hundred since we don't get sick. Most of them are fallen down monsters who don't have a family to take care of them, it's sad. The few others are usually victims of near dusting that have to be sewn back together and put on a dairy drip to not dust completely. Some wounds need more time to heal, but luckily New Home is quite peaceful. Unlike other parts... If Sans snapped he'd probably start with the Autumn district, taking the drug dealers and other criminals out... Or just set it on fire. Yeah, cover it with gasoline and light a match. I better put it under lock down. I don't think the local thugs will make a scene.  
The main door opens before me. Since my Tetsuo costume would look rather ridiculous on duty I changed into my uniform. A young rabbit monster sits at the reception, probably her voluntary year of social service. I pull out my badge and flash it to her.  
GREETINGS, I AM DEPUTY COMMISSIONER PAPYRUS GASTER. I AM HERE FOR MISS ACE SPADE.  
* Hello Sir. The poor girl was screaming like hell. She is in the isolation ward in the second floor as per your request.  
YOU HAVE MY THANKS, YOUNG MONSTER.  
I make my way to the lift, mulling over the facts. Sans has snapped and has gone rogue, his close friend Ace was attacked by him and the Rev was dusted. I know he is not very religious, but going around shooting clergy? That doesn't sound like him. But, well, apparently he did it. ... God, I need a vodka.  
The lift opens and I follow the signs to the isolation ward. A few doctors stand in front of it, looking really worried.  
Commissioner Gaster?  
DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, THE PATIENT IS IN THE ROOM?  
* Yes, but, we have no idea what is wrong with her. She keeps screaming and crying despite the shallowness of the wounds she has suffered and no matter what kind of food we try, she doesn't heal at all.  
I KNOW THE SYMPTOMS. I WILL NOW ENTER THIS ROOM, WHATEVER YOU MAY HEAR, YOU CAN UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES TELL ANYBODY, IN FACT, I'D LIKE YOU ALL TO EVACUATE THE FLOOR.  
They looked at me like they wanted to object but then thought better of it. When they all ambled off, I open the door to the sound proof isolation ward and immediately get greeted by wails of pain. I throw my jacket on the coat rack and grab a chair, sitting down next to Ace who calms down considerably.  
HELLO ACE.  
"Paps! *sob* Oh god, it hurts. *whimper* Why does it hurt?"  
YOU KNOW WHY, IT BURNS IN YOUR MIND, DOESN'T IT?  
At that she flinches and screams before calming down again.  
"I have *sob* no idea what you mean."  
DON'T WORRY, I WILL NOT REPORT YOU, I AM HERE TO HELP. JUST TELL ME YOUR SINS.  
She starts tearing up, but not from pain. She begins talking about what she did. When she was six and shoved a bully from a house, causing him to break a leg. At seven she put needles in the lunch of a few arseholes that went to her school, to show them how much words can hurt. Many more acts of minor cruelty follow, but when she reaches sixteen years she stops to talk but not to suffer. With a sigh I put my hand on hers.  
YOU CAN BE FREE EVEN ABOUT THE THINGS CONCERNING SANS. I KNOW WHAT KIND OF PERSON HE IS DEEP DOWN.  
And then she confirmed all the rumours about him, the smiling sociopath. She was his right hand, taking care of the mooks while he put on a show, intimidating gangs and putting a stop to the organized crime in New Home.  
"I am so sorry, but he made it seem the right thing, to use our hollow souls to fight the scum of the earth. I believe in him."  
I hand her the nice cream which she eats and her shallow wounds start healing, the karma of her deeds dissipating as she came to terms with herself. But that last part.  
BELIEVE? NOT BELIEVED?  
"Yes, I still trust him."  
EVEN AFTER HE HURT YOU SO MUCH?  
Her eyes grew hard at that.  
"THAT, was not him. Something was possessing him, something bad has taken him over right before my eyes. When he shot dad, he didn't smile. He always smiles. And his eyes... They were shining green."  
Then she grabs my arm and draws me closer.  
"This wasn't Sans, it was Him, coming to judge us all."  
HIM? WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?  
"The Elder God."

* * *

I exit the isolation ward and start dialling.  
HELLO, ALPHYS? THIS IS PAPYRUS, PLEASE CALL EVERYONE. I THINK JUDGEMENT TIME MIGHT HAVE COME.

* * *

I walk down the street, Ace staying at my side. I got her out of the isolation ward after signing that whatever she has is gone and not contagious, which to be honest, I'm surprised they insisted on having. Few New Home-ians actually know that there are rare contagions that affect monsters. But I guess, they never dealt with karmatic damage before.  
"Officer Gaster?"  
YOU CAN CALL ME PAPYRUS, AFTER ALL YOU AND MY LITTLE BRO ARE FRIENDS.  
"Okay... Papyrus? What exactly did Sans use on me?"  
I expected that question to come. With a sigh I start explaining.  
WELL, YOU KNOW HOW SANS RELIED ON WEAPONS INSTEAD OF MAGIC? MANY THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF HIS LOW STATS. BUT IN FACT, IT IS BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU FELT. HIS MAGIC IS SUFFUSED WITH KARMA.  
"Karma? That thing where good things happen to good people and bad things to bad people?"  
IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE AND LUCKILY NOT THE SUBJECT OF THIS PARTICULAR LESSON. NO, HIS "KARMA" IS MORE AN INJECTION OF INTROSPECTION, THE SOUL TURNING AGAINST ITSELF FOR DEEDS THAT LINGER IN THE BACK OF THE MIND. AND UNTIL YOU REPENT, THE WOUNDS HE INFLICTS WON'T HEAL.  
"But I didn't repent! Some of those asses deserved it!"  
OKAY, REPENTING IS NOT THE RIGHT WORD... YOU HAVE TO FACE THE HORRIBLE DEEDS YOU DID, BRINGING TO MIND THE HURT YOU INFLICTED, WHICH THE POISON IN YOUR SYSTEM USUALLY BOOSTS, MAKING YOU MORE EMPATHETIC AND THUS, LESS LIKELY TO ATTACK. AND SO HE MAKES THE ENEMY HURT AND HELPLESS.  
"Whoa, that sounds useful. Why doesn't he use it?"  
BECAUSE IN HIS EYES, IT'S THE WORST KIND OF PAIN, THAT OF THE SOUL DIRECTLY. HE DOESN'T ATTACK THE BODY AND HARMS YOUR SOUL BY PROXY, HE ATTACKS YOUR SOUL AND HARMS YOUR BODY AS A RESULT. TO USE IT ISN'T JUST SELF DEFENCE, IT IS TORTURE.  
At that Ace falls silent, maybe pondering on the implications of him using that, maybe asking herself why he didn't use it on all the scum they got rid of together. I spent little time with her until now, but she never seemed too concerned with others' feelings, except for Sans. Maybe that will change now, karma is a hard thing to just shake off. After a while she starts talking again.  
"Where are we off to?"  
TO MEET A FEW OF MY FRIENDS.  
As if on cue, we arrive at the ante-yard of Asgore's castle. Undyne, still sporting her Guts cosplay, Alphys is dressed as Igor, Mettatton as either Ziggy Stardust or Franknfurter still not sure which one, Asgore as... King Fluffybuns, he is really unimaginative. Only one is missing.  
* Howdy Papyrus, you wanted to see us?  
* Y-y-yeah, I called everyone just like you asked.  
* I am quite curious, what brings us here, darling.  
* Now out with it, punk!  
YES, THANK YOU FOR COMING, BUT WE'RE STILL MISSING SOMEONE BEFORE I CAN START.  
* O-oh, yeah. S-she told me she can't come since the h-human just arrived in the ruins.  
SO WE ARE ALREADY A BIT LATE WITH THE HUMAN FALL DAY FESTIVITIES.  
* Yeah, thanks to you in part.  
* Now, now Undyne. Where is Sans anyway?  
ABOUT THAT. ACE, PLEASE TELL THEM WHAT YOU TOLD ME.  
She repeats the story of her fathers demise, they were all collected throughout it, but lost their composure once she got to the green eyes.  
* That isn't very good...  
* Great, just GREAT! GRAR!  
* B-b-but, we are under his protection, aren't we not?  
* We should be, but this is most troubling indeed. If this truly is judgement day-  
I PERSONALLY THINK IT IS AN IMPOSTOR. THE ONE ABOVE US WOULDN'T JUST ARRIVE AND SHOOT HIS HIGH PRIEST IN THE CHEST, AT LEAST NOT THAT SUDDENLY. BUT I DO KNOW THAT HE PROBABLY KIDNAPPED MY BROTHER AND REPLACED HIM.  
* And what about the GREEN EYES?  
SIMPLE EYE GLAMOURS, IF THEY WANT TO MIME THE ONE ABOVE US, THEN ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS COLOUR THEIR EYES. I'D PUT IT UNDER SOMEONE LIVING OUT A POWER FANTASY IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE SUSPICIOUS TIMING.  
* B-b-but S-sans-  
COINCIDENCE, I AM SURE. WE SHOULD HURRY WITH THIS WHOLE INCIDENT. NO MATTER WHAT IS GOING ON, WE CAN'T LET A MURDERER RUN AROUND. I WANT THE WHOLE HPD LOOKING FOR INTRUDERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE AUTUMN DISTRICT, OR NO, WAIT, IN THE FABLE DISTRICT, THEY WOULD KNOW WE WOULD LOOK FOR THEM IN AUTUMN. IF WE DO THIS FAST WE MIGHT STAND A CHANCE TO CONTAIN THEM BEFORE IT ESCALATES.  
We split into two groups, Mettaton and Asgore go to the MTT-Channel building and try to contain the public damage of a terrorist attack. The rest of us get into my car and start driving towards the city. Commissioner Undyne changes into her uniform, which she wears under her costume, including reinforced vest, Alphys is in the back seat, sweeping the whole underground for any signs of Sans or the impostor and Ace is silently tagging along, probably still overwhelmed by the whole thing. While a broadcast on the emergency channel plays, Alphys furiously types on her PDA.  
* Th-that's strange, somebody has locked me out of the core...  
* Hello Beauties and Gentlebeauties, We are here with an emergency broadcast reaching all of my beautiful listeners out there. Now, What is it, Asgore darling?  
* WHAT? Who can do that?  
* To all the monsters in the underground, there might be rumours that the royal Undernet Technician is on a dusting spree, but I want to deny those accusations, none of you would do this. That means that the only conclusion are intruders from beyond. Please stay with you neighbours and report any suspicious people to the Haven Police Department and in case of imminent collateral damage the emergency cut-relays in your homes will activate and sirens will sound. I want to stress that this is not a drill. I repeat, to all monsters in the-  
* S-since the core is still r-running but my user p-privileges has been cut only Sans would be able to lock me-  
Vines burst from the ceiling descending down on New Home, rocks falling, buildings collapsing as the legendary Last Tree Sprouts from above.  
* Paps? I think you can turn on the siren.

* * *

We drive towards the Last Tree, weaving through traffic. A few monsters are watching the spectacle, their loved ones in their arms. I can hear some people crying, their friends consoling them. I can even see a few gangs watch it peacefully, some even consoling rivalling gangs. Children, watching curiously at the strange sight and wondering why everyone is so scared. And a few foolhardy, brave or just resigned ones preparing for a last stand. Many here have been through this horror once before, hoping to never see it again. I always prayed my home would become like this. As we near the far edge of the tree, the monsters become more and more scarce. A few running around, looking for trapped or injured monsters. Even in times like this, I always love how people are willing to risk their lives for others, maybe even strangers. It fills me with Determination. As we get near the centre of the whole mess rocks start falling around us, at first sporadically, then more frequent. Alphys is still trying to regain control of the core and Undyne looks worried  
* We're getting near the giant Kaiju. Any ideas how we're going to get close to the centre?  
EVER SEEN NEON GENESIS EVANGELION?  
* Of course, even though I prefer Gurren Lagann, but what does this LOOK OUT!  
Time slows down. I kick in first gear and pull the handbrake, drifting around a falling wall, accelerator down hard and going up to ninety kmh, another wall is collapsing, I give it a little correcting push so that it builds a blockade for a rubble avalanche that would come as a consequence of it. I take the corner as tight as I can, using blue magic to prevent us from tipping over and just as I barely cleared the little dam, it breaks. Since the immediate danger is over time accelerates.  
YES, ME TOO, BUT I MEAN, THE WHOLE CITY UNDER KAIJU, THE GIANT IS REDUNDANT, THING WITH SOMEONE DRIVING THROUGH IT? REMINDS ME OF THE PILOT WHERE MISATO PICKS UP SHINJI FROM THE TRAIN STATION.  
* WHY THE HELL ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ANIME?  
* Please calm down Alphys.  
* CALM DOWN? PAPYRUS DRIVES MUCH WORSE THAN MISATO!  
DEPENDS ON HOW YOU DEFINE 'WORSE' DO YOU THINK SHE WOULD MANAGED THAT MANOEUVRE?  
* Er... W-well, that is hard to say, I'd have to analyse- THAT IS NOT THE POINT!  
AND THAT IS WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANIME, TO CALM DOWN AND STAY FOCUSED ON THE SITUATION.  
We continue to blast down the main road, talking about anime and occasionally I'm forced to dodge some debris raining down. Undyne is on the radio, talking to the closest officer to the epicentre, Constable Peter Salt.  
* Report?  
* Yes ma'am, we're closing in on fourth and eleventh, the vines become more concentrated around there.  
* I-isn't that where the church is?  
YES, WHOEVER IS DOING THIS, KNOWS THE CITY.  
* You two, a bit quieter please. Anything else?  
* Not really ma'am, we just have to look out for the rocks and oh god!  
* What is it?  
* Ma'am, there seems to be a giant screen connected to the vines! It seems to be talking but I don't understand what exactly it's say-  
* (BOOM)  
* Officer Salt? OFFICER SALT?  
* I'm (cough) still not dust, but the car got totalled. The screen just started attacking something tiny and a few stray RPGs flew into my vicinity. I can't make out what exactly it is aiming at, but it is fast.  
* Roger that, you should evacuate to a safe distance as soon as possible.  
* Roger, I'll look for civilians in need of assistance on the way, over and out.  
Undyne hangs up and I accelerate even more. It has been a few minutes since we last saw another monster. As we get within ten blocks of the centre we spot the screen hanging from the sky for the first time. A grotesque visage is visible on it. Thorny vines shoot from the ceiling, the inner city is under a hail of bombs, flamethrowers shower the city in red fire, giant hands fire missiles, green blades rain down, everything is aiming for a target that I can barely make out. Something speeds towards us and I hit the breaks hard. Luckily everyone is wearing their safety belts as the missile impacts before us. Undyne is looking shocked but unharmed, so I turn back to check on Ace and Alphys.  
ARE YOU ALRIGHT?  
* Yes, I think so.  
Ace, who remained silent throughout the whole journey begins to crack.  
"No. Not really. This can't be real. My dad can't be dead, Sans would never shoot him or hurt me. And this... this is the last Straw! THERE CAN'T BE ELDERS AND GODS LOCKED IN COMBAT HERE! THEY AREN'T REAL! THERE AREN'T ANY GODS!"  
She falters and begins sobbing.  
"No, there can't be, or they'd have protected mum..."  
Alphys puts an arm around her and tries to calm her. Undyne looks lost, she isn't good with comforting people. Neither am I. But I know what I have to say.  
ACE, THERE ARE NO GODS. NOWHERE IN EXISTENCE DO REAL GODS EXIST, ONLY SOMETHING HOLLOW THAT PLAY WITH THE LIFE OF THE INNOCENT, AMUSING ITSELF BY WATCHING PEOPLE SUFFER. EXCEPT FOR ONE, THE ONE WHO OPPOSES THAT THING. THAT IS THE REASON SANS ONLY BELIEVES IN THE ELDER GREEN EYED.  
Ace looks up at that, hearing His title, the title of the patron her father revered and worshipped.  
WELL, BELIEVES IS NOT THE RIGHT WORD, MORE, ADMIRES. BECAUSE THE GREEN EYED DID ONE THING THAT MY BROTHER ALWAYS WANTED TO DO.  
I have to smile at the childish goals of my brother.  
HE DECLARED WAR ON THAT WHICH ROTS THE WHOLE.

* * *

We abandoned the car and walk the last few blocks on foot since I suspect that the missiles are targeting fast moving objects and just as I expected, there have been no further attacks on us. Alphys is currently hiding in a nearby emergency access port, still trying to regain control of the core while Ace has accompanies us and Undyne made her honorary Constable and gave her a GVC-ES mk3 combat knife, the best non-military knife that exists, and a reinforced vest that can withstand magic attacks up to 7kDT. I can now make out a monster wearing a black coat... Sanses coat? Yeah, whoever that is, he abducted my brother and now attacks the city. But for what reason? We sneak closer and closer, trying to avoid drawing attention to us, but the black clad monster spots us. Just then my mobile goes off, which I set silent the moment we left the car, and I hear a low droning. We hide behind a wall while I check who it is.. Caller ID shows Alphys so I pick up and try to make it short.  
WE WERE JUST SPOTTED, MAKE IT QUICK.  
* J-just now someone hijacked the emergency broadcasting system, Sans is on it with green glowing eyes, here, I put you on speaker.  
* greetings mon-  
"Fried tacos are delicious, you make them twi-"  
* shit, wrong file.  
One winged angel from FF7 starts playing instead.  
* greetings monsters, i am the one you refer to as the elder god. in order to show proof of this, i will now unmake the last tree.  
I peek around the corner up to the building where whoever it is, is currently standing. The last tree stopped thrashing a little while ago, simultaneously with the droning, the suddenly something like a ripping sound echoes through the city and the vines retract. I spot the six human souls shooting into the distance and see something yellow falling down. It looks like a... flower?  
My mind starts racing. I build stairs out of bones on the side of the ruined building and sprint up towards the sixth floor, jumping off the last bone, catching the flower in the air and landing through a window that has lost its glass pane. In my arms I hold a barely conscious Flowey. He looks at me, tears in his eyes.  
* I-i couldn't st-stop it. Whatever took our brothers, it's s-so powerful. I c-couldn't... I-it ripped the human souls out of me with... (cough) Shit. Please, take me upstairs with you, I need to stop it...  
With that he falls still. His wounds are deep and he is millimetres away from dusting. He nearly died trying to save us all, going beyond reasonable. He broke so many laws with what he did, and I can see that he even tried to protect civilians by making the missiles speed seeking and forcing whoever took our brothers, Chara and Sans, to be fast. This flower is not a coward. He is a hero, kind-hearted and benevolent... You must come from far away and have followed him to here. If we get out of this alive, little flowery friend, I owe you an apology. I gently put him down and walk to the window.  
I can't make out the others but can hear faint sounds of a struggle. A television lies on the floor which I quickly plug in and turn on. Displayed is that impostor playing with Undyne and Ace. Dy, who's not just a tough fighter, she also has a sharp mind, dodges and dances, summons spears and uses her gun gracefully while helping Ace out, who jumps around the roof and tries to cut the impostor down. But all he does is grin and read their movements, dodging minimally, he did not launch one blow yet. I carefully construct some steppingbones to help me ascend and then return to watch the television, waiting for a good moment for a surprise attack.  
The fight goes nowhere for a few seconds, no openings, nothing. Whoever it is, he is good, I fear too good. Suddenly Ace makes a blunder and stumbles, he grabs her throat with one hand, the other one ready to snap and I can see where this is going. I accelerate and sprint to the window, jumping from bone to bone until I reach the roof. Only the fraction of a second has passed, Undyne's eyes begin to widen in surprise, Ace still in shock, 'Sans' is about to summon a blaster and I am ready to blue him. The blaster he summons is pointed at me, not Ace, so I have to dodge it. He knew I'd be here, that is remarkable! He pulls ace close, almost touching her face with his. Undyne and me try a two prong attack, we jump, I get blued, as was expected, but he can only blue one of us and doesn't have magic that could possibly stun- electric bolts strike into her, leaving her convulsing on the floor. Another one arcs in my direction, ready to blow my light out and makes contact. I fall on the ground.

* * *

I play unconscious on the ground. I used a magic attack to ground the bolt in the last moment, saving me, but fatiguing me tremendously. I did not expect that, at all. Playing knocked out will give me some time to regain my strength. 'Sans' is still holding Ace at her throat if you interpret the choking sounds like that.  
* i'll be back after a quick break, don't go nowhere underground!  
I can hear a few dull cracks followed by the thud of a body on the ground.  
"What did you arsehole do to Sans?"  
* tut tut, that is not the proper way for a young lady to behave, but maybe i'm at fault here, you don't have a chair.  
"Fuck you."  
* you should be grateful i just gag you instead of sewing your mouth shut.  
* now stop- no teeth! and stop drooling on me!  
Ace's complaining gets muffled, presumably by a piece of cloth. I wait for a good moment to ambush him, my strength slowly returning. I can hear something faint, like the strumming of a guitar, I think I know that sound. She is probably setting up a trap, better wait for it to snap shut. A subjective eternity later I can hear a twang and 'Sans' is tied up in purple strings. Muffet ascends the air on the back of Muffin, climbing op a barely visible spider net she has spun between the skyscrapers.  
* You know, my boyfriend would have dodged it, so tell me, who are you?  
My mind speeds up, with a single shove of blue magic I push Ace, cutting her arms free from the string she is tied up in by angling her on Undyne's knife, both colliding and falling from the roof. Ace should be able to warp them to the ground. I push myself up and jump towards Muffet, tackling her from Muffin just in time. A bolt of electricity descending from the sky hits him square in the head, causing him to fall motionless. We land on the roof of a nearby building, battered but not too badly. Muffet looks at me surprised.  
* Papyrus! I thought he knocked you out!  
JUST FEIGNING IT UNTIL I COULD GET THE JUMP ON HIM, OR IN THIS CASE YOU. I'D HAVE WARNED YOU ABOUT THE ELECTRICITY, BUT I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THE CHANCE.  
I gently put her down and we both look at 'Sans'. He chuckles, still wrapped in string, seeming relaxed.  
* now that the last two actual challenges are here, let the games begin!  
With a flash he has burned through the strings and stands there with his arms open, a knife in his hand. Muffet draws her little peashooter while I draw my service weapon. I wish my brother was here. He'd probably spout some silly one-liner about killing a god.  
* SHIT! arm on fire! ARM ON FIRE

* * *

I FACE HIM HEAD ON, YOU FLANK HIM. READY? GO!  
My mind speeds up and I can sense that Muffet does the same. We need to work together here. I fire a bullet from the hip, quick and most people would barely register me even firing it. 'Sans' uses a shortcut to sidestep it. Reaction time on par with us, this isn't good. We jump down, using the strings woven between the buildings to navigate through the air. Muffet runs to the right, I directly to him. He waves his hands and I switch strings just as my old foothold is electrified. Blasters line up behind him and aim down a few strings, another electrical charge races down the one I stand on. The blaster are aimed down the paths that I could evade to, except for one, which is obviously a trap, but aside from letting myself fall, I don't have any real alternatives. So now is do or die time.  
I jump on one of the strings the blasters are aiming down, being hit by it. I've never felt it before, he never attacked me, but I do hope it works. I can feel the energy hurting me but I can also feel the karma flow into me. Making me face everything I did, but it doesn't work. Allowing it to penetrate deep into my soul, it changes nothing. I already feel terrible for all that, no magic to force me to be introspective, since I already am. I do horrible things to living, feeling creatures and I know that, but if I did nothing, I'd be just as terrible, not helping those in need because I couldn't face the consequences.  
The blast slowly dissipates around me, passing without having truly touched me. I wasn't sure that it would work, that I might be even more rotten than I thought, but it seems I am just as terrible as I think. 'Sans' is looking confused at me and Muffet takes a shot at him but it misses. Icicles sprung from the ground and deflected it. We all stand there in silence for a few precious moments, rethinking our plans. I initially thought that the lightning was some kind of trick he pulled of, maybe using high voltage cables. But summoning ice can't be done so easily.  
* you know, that's cheating, you're not supposed to be unfazed by that.  
* but as a great mind once said, cheating is only what losers call skill, so, my turn.  
'Sans' channels more magic and unleashes another attack, a torrent of liquid fire springs forth and sprays in my vague direction. It isn't aimed but rather an area denial, though a bit splashes on me, burning me pretty intensely. I notice that the strings are burning up almost too late and nearly fall before making a long jump into the building. With the fire still raining outside I decide to take the elevator shaft, but he will probably know that, since it is my only way up that isn't suicidal. Shielding myself from the attack that doesn't happen I arrive at the top. Muffet is panting heavily, reloading her gun while 'Sans' looks impatient.  
* finally! first you attack during the commercials and then you let me wait! now, take a breather and make it look good.  
* greetings again underground, i welcome you to the final demonstration of my power. these two-  
Muffet fires a shot at 'Sans' while he monologues. I didn't see him move to her, but after she fired the shot he stands at her back, holding a knife at her throat.  
* please don't interrupt my monologue, it's not good for your- WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!  
I rushed him while he made his second monologue, but somehow he stands at the side.  
* you know what?  
Suddenly it rains brimstone, the temperature becomes sweltering within seconds and 'Sans' is surrounded by a green, fiery aura. He holds up a knife with a black blade that doesn't gleam. This isn't some fancy thing, that one has 'Elder' written all over it.  
* screw the whole act, you two, me, we're going to end this right now.  
A low current runs through my bones and my body gets paralysed. He shortcuts behind the both of us, his blade inflicting little cuts all over my body, making it ache and forcing me on my knees. Muffet collapses next to me while 'Sans'' back is still turned to us.  
* don't get up again, for your own good. i am tired of this whole thing, wreaking chaos is just boring and you two are pathetic.  
I think I can hear a slight tremble in his voice.  
* i am done with this world.  
But now even I am certain, that there isn't my brother, that is the Elder Green Eyed. A door inscribed with elder runes appears in front of him, opening to reveal a grand chamber behind it, connecting to His temple. With my last strength I get up.  
* i told you.  
WHERE IS MY BROTHER?  
At that He pauses and turns around, green tears running down his face  
* down the deep end.  
With that he walks through the door

* * *

Thanks to friends and family for supporting us. And █████TALE TEAM thanks you, the player, from the bottom of our hearts. Without you, all of this would be impossible. Good night.


	12. ERRORERRORERRORERRORERRORERRORERRORERROR

ẞɛϥυɛᥒꞇɛ ∅: ❲Ɛ? ﾝﾈﾬ ?￢ﾝﾳ

* * *

i wake up.  
what the hell did just happen?  
everything is jumbled in my head.  
i was... in a shop?  
a monster dusted?  
and then...  
something took control of me?  
and...  
there was...  
HELLO OTHER SANS!  
i look up and see papyrus.  
* other?  
DON'T WORRY, I WAS TOLD THIS WON'T HURT AND WILL BE IMPORTANT.  
his eyes start to glow.  
i fall into my head.

* * *

Lou sits there in his NBC gear, staring into the far off distance, taking in the environment once again.  
I'm still concerned about his health.  
* Lou? You feeling okay?  
He turns towards me, his eyes looking at me through the gas mask's visor, his voice muffled by the filters.  
* As okay as I can be in this world...  
* I know, but I meant, physically, are you okay?  
* Yeah, the gear is keeping me okay.

* * *

I emerge from the shadows, approaching the red eyed, a limp squirrel on the ground.  
* You got everything?  
He turns to me, sweat on his forehead. Seems that it fatigued him a good bit.  
* yes, everything he did in the last twelve hours.  
I look down at Squirrel, he is knocked out good, and hopefully depowered.  
* What about the machine?  
With a sigh he shakes his head slowly.  
* sorry, that was in his soul, can't burn that out easily, severed all conscious and subconscious memories.  
Damn, but as long as he remains unable to access it...  
* That is good enough, help me get him back to the bar in his time frame.  
We both grab one arm each and start dragging him away from the source and Frisk.  
* And thank you for keeping him at bay until we got here, Frisk!  
It was the right decision to give them this job, I really think they want to repent for their sins.  
* yeah kiddo, thanks!  
We drag him for a few steps before Shadow turns to me.  
* don't forget that i get three hours free movement in the bar, substitute.  
He's very humble with that demand, before, he'd have demanded days.  
Seems he's warming up to the new hierarchy.  
* yeah, yeah.

* * *

i crawl through the small door in the hope of finding my brother on the other side.  
this body is a lot leaner than my usual bodies and can fit comfortably through the purple glowing tube leading to the other door.  
i open it and see a room similar to the one i came from.  
a quick glance around shows me a few differences.  
the windows aren't fogged over and show the dark outside.  
and the painting shows a somewhat taller papyrus dressed in black.  
something delicious hangs in the air.  
my curiosity thoroughly piqued, i momentarily abandon my quest to follow this side-quest.  
the smell emanates from the kitchen where something looking like papyrus is preparing a lavish feast that smells wonderful.  
i slowly approach them.  
* papyrus?  
hello sans, i was just making a midnight snack.  
he turns around buttons where his eyes are.  
care to join-  
he drops the bowl he was holding, which shatters and spreads over the floor.

* * *

still drained and overwhelmed by the whole experience i touch the golden, pointy tooth in my mouth and massage the bridge of my nose.  
i miss my snowdin. it is warm in my snowdin. it is safe in my snowdin. there are no overly dominant papyri who want to shove glowing red bones inside me in my snowdin.

* * *

I rip apart the foundation of reality to make my way to the imbecile.  
They turn what could be counted as their head towards me, starting to speak.  
? ❄?￢ﾚﾐ ❄ ✋? ﾟﾒﾧ ✋ ? ﾟﾕﾆ?￢ﾘﾟ ✌ ?￢ﾘﾟ ❄ ❄✋?￢ﾘﾜ? ?￢ﾘﾟ✌❄ ✋✞ ? ?￢ﾘﾜ ❄ ?  
Enraged I cut them off.  
*Are you insane?! Oh, why am I even asking!? OF COURSE YOU ARE!  
I/WE/ME-  
* Shut up, because I AM TALKING!  
* You have screwed up big this time! What were you thinking while making a fell-mind fireproof?!  
NOTHING/INNOCENT/HELPFUL!  
* BULLSHIT! You know I would find out and that I would trace it to you. Tampering with the memory charm on the Nexus? That would get you exiled at least.  
I grab their souls and pin them to the void, unable to move, they just squirm.  
* But since you are already in exile there is only one thing I could actually do.  
I dive into their source, which is a mishmash of so many different styles, so many contradictory imperatives, I can see the fear light up while I am in here, so many different responses. I go to the magical interconnected system and start rewriting it.  
* Any last words, Dings?  
SORRY/APOLOGIES/REGRET/...  
* As good as any, I guess.

* * *

I start meditating and initiate the full communication with my host.  
We stand on a small, beautiful island in Waterfall.  
I can see Sans sitting on the shore, feet dangling in the water.  
* Greetings Sans, don't be afraid.  
He doesn't even turn towards me and just continues splashing the water.  
*WHY SHOULD I BE AFRAID? I MEAN WE-  
He pauses for a moment, suddenly jumps up and turns towards me, stars in his eyes.  
*OH MY GOOOOSH! THIS IS YOUR FIRST, ISN'T IT?  
He starts running around me and inspects me, commenting on some strange nonsense.  
*OH GOD YOU'RE STILL MY HEIGHT, I COULD SMOOCH YOU RIGHT IN YOUR FACE WITHOUT GOING ALL TIPTOE-Y.  
This is weird, Kinda familiar to something, but I can't put my finger on it.  
* Please don't.  
*OH, YOU'RE STILL ALL SHY! HOW CUTE!  
He pulls me into a bear hug.  
* Not really, but if you really know me, you know that time loops are serious business.  
He drops me and gives me a more serious look.  
*RIGHT RIGHT, THAT REMINDS ME. I saw what you did last time, don't do that again.

* * *

i turn towards the little human and as- lou.  
* come with me you two, there is one thing we have to do.  
i open a shortcut to the end of the ruins, the door leading towards snowdin.  
* if you step through this door, i am honour-bound by ancient promise to protect you.  
the human opens the door and on the other side i see... sans?  
he falls onto his knees and folds his hands.  
* i prayed so long... thank you for finally answering me.

* * *

We walk into the bar, luckily or rather as expected nobody pays us a lot of attention.  
I can see him standing behind the counter and I think Hol does so as well, as we both start walking the same moment.  
* greetings and welcome to...  
Seems that seeing us made him speechless.  
* Nice to see you again, last time I was cut a bit short.  
* what? wait... that was you?  
* Yes, but that's not really the reason we're here. We've got some plans and want your help.  
Hol reaches his hand out.  
* hello, call me hol, to keep confusion to a minimum. we'd like to ask, if you'd be interested in helping us build a space bridging city.  
He spreads the plans on some free space on the counter.  
* we call it "Haven"  
* what is it?  
* A sanctuary for those who would otherwise be swallowed by the maelstrom.

* * *

asriel exits sans' room, wearing no shirt and stretches.  
* busy night?  
he flinches as soon as he hears my voice.  
* HOLY SH- err... how long have you been there?  
i switch to the next channel.  
* about two hours, give or take.  
temmie follows him out through the door, wearing his striped shirt.  
* hOi sans!  
* heya, temmie.  
as long as he's okay with it.  
and it's not jerry.

* * *

I arrive at the bar, everything is chaos. Shadow is free and probably going to escape.  
What kind of idiot sets that maniac free?  
I hear a thump behind me and check it out.  
It's Mossy, badly hurt going by looks, having no time to lose I shortcut to him.  
* wha- you? i thought- (cough cough)  
* Don't overexert yourself, just stay calm.  
I check his source.  
His body is barely holding together, soul is fragmented and parts of him are overwritten with low level control interfaces.  
By the looks he tried to acquire source control powers in a pinch, and even managed to survive the strain.  
Having a closer look I notice some sheolfire traces.  
Shadow must have given him some kind of protective charm.  
That I witness the day he actually protects someone...  
I focus back on the higher levels of reality, where he barely holding on to his life, almost dusting.  
* Oh no, you won't die on my watch.  
I summon a syringe filled with Saac and plunge it through his sternum into his soul.  
He whelps at the shock to his body, but it works as intended.  
His soul, while not stable, is not falling apart any more.  
Looks like I bought him enough time.  
* Let's get you inside and fixed.

* * *

I look through the old royal edicts, looking for a blank template.  
I've got a great idea for a new dress code here in the Underg-  
I sense something standing behind me, a quick check with my host tells me that's probably Chara, who apparently is guardian of Snowdin.  
I turn towards them and see them on their knee, bowing.  
That isn't normal.  
* why are you bending your knee to me? you never bowed to your king before.  
Chara raises his head and looks me squarely in the eyes.  
* And I never will bend my knee for a mere king, my lord.

* * *

I stand at the crossroad, hearing footsteps approaching.  
Just when I decided to take a vacation from myself, a genocidal human falls down, great.  
But, well, doing this is vacation as well, just a bit playing with the tiny human.  
Now, better start with my monologue, the human is just around the corner.  
* you know... i thought it was obvious...  
* but very few actually get the idea.  
I face the corner trying to look as nonchalant as possible.  
* i promised to protect any human that-  
I open my eyes and see... skeletons?  
* uh...  
* Wait...  
* What the?  
* 'lo- o  
* well looky, another me  
i start feeling like a lone stem of papyrus in the grass  
* 'sup, jester?  
* I was expecting a human not three dingi.  
Wait, three? No, they're four, I forgot to count Pans... why did I do that? Hope nobody notices that blunder.

* * *

i'm getting the hang of it, the long haired now walks with a slight skip in their step. this is fun.  
then suddenly someone jumps out of the bushes and attacks.  
my instincts take over.  
* you pull your legs towards you, and let yourself fall.  
they narrowly dodge the projectile.  
now that i got the human out of immediate danger, i check the assailant, which seems like they are... sans?  
okay, stay cool.  
for now i've got to keep the human alive if i want to see this world.  
the _what the fuck_ has time for later.  
my mind speeds up.  
sans will attack with bone field since the human just dropped half to the ground.  
i think we can dodge this  
* you cover you head with your arms and roll forward.  
where the human just knelt is a bone attack.  
* you use the inertia from the roll to jump up and turn towards the skeleton, assuming a standard defensive... feet parallel your dominant leg behind the other, holding your arms in front of your torso, fists balled, showing him your shoulder and your legs wound up but not tense.  
sans, who has not smiled, now has a very slight smirk on his face and starts talking.  
* That was interesting, it has been some time since I met a human that showed so much guts and grace. Care to tell me where you learned these techniques?  
well, mcshootypants, i think i know what can send you running.  
* you tell him that you studied in the halls of the green eyed.  
his smile doesn't fade.  
* Oh, is that so, then I wish to test how good that old geezer taught you.  
he prepares an impressive onslaught of magic, blasters, bone fields, blue shifts.  
oh boy, this will be hard.

* * *

I foam while I continue to assemble the interface to this worlds ugh "Core".  
* Are you SERIOUS? Tying the concept of "Life" to an entity that is alive?  
The Sans of this world looks perplexed, still switching between staring at his hand and at me.  
* Life itself is ill defined to boot! If it were, dunno, Souls, I could get behind that, like a big soul repository, but "Life"?  
I wish this wasn't such a backward one. No computers, no mobiles, only magic.  
* And then there is "War"! Does that mean she causes war or is the best at war or what? Would all strife stop if I just stabbed her to dust?  
Or rather magical artefacts since they're apparently all imbeciles. Forging this much raw magic into mirrors instead of using LPD Monitors? What a waste of magic! You don't just squander those resources and sit on your ass because using magic is easier. The ambient magic is a finite source! And if you have this much? Don't use it for such mundane things as talking over a distance!  
* So, tell me, why is there no god of "Magic" while we're at it? Is that too much a stretch even for you?  
I double check the blueprints while welding the needle to the arm.  
* And now, tell me, why don't you use technology? Doesn't electricity work in your lahdeedah fancy world of ill defined concepts bound to people.  
I wish I had access to a better lab, not this alchemists laboratory. I have copper, iron and other base materials, but no chance to build a projector with only that.  
But that is step two thousand at least, for now, I'll just start small.  
* Here, since speakers are a bit more complex, these are portable Morse tickers, they are crude, barely functional but you can talk over distances with them.  
The Sans looks at me utterly confused.  
* who are you?  
* If we go by your naming scheme, I'd be the god of technology.

* * *

curious about what the inscription means, i open the door with stealth written over it.  
a spotlight closes in on me, so i try to shortcut away, but it doesn't work.  
the spotlight shines on me and i'm perforated by bullets.

* * *

And finally, here is the maximum security subject.  
Through the window I see a huge room, covered in elder runes, more complex than anything I've ever seen.  
And in the middle, where all the runes converge is a single skeleton, currently writing something while singing.  
* hollowed halls beneath the fells. he's the master of the evil in the deep. he's the dungeon master

* * *

* Brother! Someone heavily injured just fell on our steps.  
I get outside and see a heavily distorted Sans lying on the floor.  
* What is with him?  
* I don't know Lou, but this doesn't look like regular wounds.

* * *

I stand on the precipice, gazing upon _it_.  
It is a monstrous thing, of a size that no language could convey without it losing its meaning. Its body an ever shifting mass of uncountable variation of alien limbs, on occasion a humongous maw surfaces, some lined with teeth as tall as mountains, others void of anything but just as greedy, a net of strings that spans its whole nest and goes far in to the void beyond, lost in eternity but connected to reality. Every single part of it is twisted in angles, going through its own torso, pushing it in and out of reality so that its intersection with the planes visible to me are always changing form and colour.  
And in its centre which I am unable to find in space but still am capable of observing, is one human, caged, bound, suffering. Parts of them are ripped out over and over just to satisfy the lust of its merciless captor.  
The lust to play.

* * *

i wake up in papyrus' lap, my head hurting.  
MORNING SANS! HOW ARE YOU FEELING?  
* i'm okay paps, what are you doing here?  
he gives me a cuddle.  
YOU HAD A BAD DREAM AND I TRIED TO MAKE IT GO AWAY, DID IT WORK?  
i scratch my head.  
did i just have a bad dream?  
was all of this just a bad dream?  
the loops?  
the visions?  
the madness?  
yeah, maybe i did just have a dream.  
and now i can life why is my hand so heavy?  
i pull the glove off.  
there is some kind of identification tag screwed to my hand.  
i can't remember how i got that.  
oh god...  
* bahp-deep- **click**  
papyrus answers his phone.  
HELLO FRIEND! WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU? ... OF COURSE, BUT ARE YOU SURE? OKAY OKAY.  
paps holds the mobile in front of me.  
FOR YOU, BROTHER.  
i take it and hold it at my ear.  
* Err... Howdy... I know this might sound insane, but, are we two brothers?  
* yeah we are, where are you?  
* Oh, thank god, first fall.  
* be right there,  
i hang up and hand the phone to paps.  
* sorry bro, i've got something to do.  
papyrus just smiles at me.  
OKAY SANS, BUT DON'T BE TOO LATE FOR DINNER IF IT TAKES LONG.

* * *

i arrive at first fall and find asriel in his goat form.  
* you alright?  
he looks at me with uncertain and confused eyes.  
* I, maybe. What about you?  
i sit down next to him.  
* i have honestly no idea, i just woke up with a jumble of really strange pictures in my head. like a really bad trip.  
asriel leans onto me.  
* Same here, last thing I am sure I can remember is that strange world where you wore a buttoned shirt, but even that is kinda vague.  
* yeah, same here, i can't really recall anything.  
i put my arm around him.  
* but i do know that you're my brother and you always will be.


End file.
